"Lamar Odom continues to respond well after spraining his ankle Tuesday but remains a game-time decision for tonight."

"One player who could possibly fill the Heat's empty roster spot is Josh Powell, a rookie who was waived by Dallas earlier this month, and one who the Heat did bring in for workouts before the draft. Vincent Yarbrough, formerly of the Denver Nuggets, and Walt Williams are also free-agent perimeter players."

Wednesday, after sleeping with a protective boot on, Odom was a bit more positive. The 6-10 forward said his ankle is still tender, but the injury is not as bad as he originally feared.

Last night, not only did the Miami Heat lose their game against the Philadelphia Sixers 89-74, they might have lost Lamar Odom.

Odom, limped off the floor eight minutes into the game with a sprained ankle and never returned."

"Odom said he likely will miss ''a game or two.'' While X-rays were negative, the injury seemed more significant than Odom declared it to be. Odom has played in just 78 games the past two seasons, missing time last year with wrist and ankle injuries.

Miami Heat General Manager Randy Phund admitted that the Heat didn't waive both Sean Lampley and Cherokee Parks for economic reasons but to possibily add another player.

"I can't ever remember when we haven't been at 15," Pfund said, with the Heat down to 12 players on the active roster and two on the injured list, one below the overall NBA maximum. "I wouldn't bet on how long it's going to last."

After being waived by the Chicago Bulls Thursday, Trenton Hassell agreed to a one-year guaranteed contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday, worth in the neighborhood of $600,000 to $650,000.

"It feels good," Hassell said. "I have a little security right now. I know I will be playing somewhere."

Hassell was waived by the Bulls when he and his agent, Mark Bartlestein, did not agree with the club that it was in Trenton's best interest to be placed on the Bulls' injured reserve list.

The New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors also showed interest, with the Heat going so far as to call Hassell "the best defending-No. 2 guard in the NBA" according to Hassell's financial advisor Jeff Cates.

Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy has not announced his starting lineup yet but it should look something like this.

"Four spots are certain, with Dwyane Wade, Lamar Odom, Eddie Jones and Brian Grant filling them. The fifth spot likely will go to rookie forward Udonis Haslem."

The Heat have 16 players on their roster and need to cut back by today.

"The most likely candidate is second-year forward Sean Lampley. But if the team decides it has enough height, Cherokee Parks is also a possibility."

DON'T look now (you're too late, the preseason ended Friday), but the Grizzlies were the NBA's most improved Canadian outcast during the exhibition schedule, their sole setback to the champion Spurs.

Pau Gasol's even better than last season. Jason Williams has gotten himself under more control. James Posey, Earl Watson and Bo Outlaw actually listen to Hubie Brown's lectures and learn from them. Mike Miller is making plays.

Heat general manager Randy Pfund was an assistant coach under Pat Riley in Los Angeles, and he remembers watching Riley set the bar for himself as a head coach.

''I remember the difference between the years that you would win [an NBA title] and didn't win,'' Pfund said. 'All summer, people said congratulations. Everywhere you went it was, `Way to go. Congratulations.' The years you didn't win, even if you got to the Finals, it was, 'Gee, that's too bad. You didn't get it done.' And, `Maybe next year.'