Milwaukee coach George Karl notices something different about Pat Riley as the Heat have fallen to the bottom of the NBA, and he does not like what he sees.

"It scares the hell out of me," Karl said. "It's a fear that the edge he has had, and fortunately I have had for a good amount of years, can go out the window pretty quick."

Karl compared what Riley is enduring to the Indianapolis Colts' Jim Mora and the Carolina Panthers' George Seifert, and wondered whether Riley is burning out in his 20th year as a coach. The Heat's 12-game losing streak was the longest in Riley's career and he never has coached a team with a losing record.

"There's a pain in his face that we know that you all don't know," Karl said. "And you don't like it. I love competing against him. But you don't want one of your cohorts in agony, even your enemy. I don't even think I want my enemy to go through the viciousness of what coaching can do to you."

Karl, 50, is in his 15th season as a coach in the NBA. Unlike Riley, he has seen the other side, surviving a 16-win season at Golden State, 25 wins at Cleveland and 28 wins at Milwaukee. Still, his .600 winning percentage (636-424 entering Tuesday's game) is among the NBA's all-time best. He also has coached 309 games in the CBA and in Spain.

Riley's winning percentage has slipped to .686 (1,052-481).

"The horse I've been riding for 10 years has been a great horse," Karl said. "You better keep working at it. And you better have a tough skin when you're losing, because this game can eat you up."

? Gill cleared: Heat forward Kendall Gill has been cleared to play but will not suit up until Friday's game against his old team, New Jersey, at the earliest. Riley wants to see how Gill responds to practice Thursday.

Gill will miss his 16th game tonight in Washington since fracturing the small finger on his left hand Nov. 8.

"By Thursday I'll be fine," Gill said. "I fully expect to get back into practice."

Gill has been running and shooting.

"All he's been doing is shooting 1,000 shots a day," Riley said. "I think his shooting is OK."