After holding his tongue for weeks, Heat coach Pat Riley is becoming increasingly irritated with criticism from former Heat players Anthony Mason and Tim Hardaway.

``I don't really give whatever,'' Riley said when asked about Mason's critical comments. ``If he wants to continue to beat the pulpit, so be it. I think anybody who has any intelligence knows where he's coming from. . . . People who know the league know what [Mason and Hardaway] are all about. Why weren't they on top of everybody's list when they went out there looking for someplace to play?''

Before the game, Mason said he would have returned to Miami even if the Heat had made a late offer comparable to the four-year, $21 million deal he got with Milwaukee.

``Miami was the first option,'' Mason said. ``I believe in loyalty. It wouldn't have even had to be a bidding. There wasn't a negotiation, and Riley wasn't man enough to speak. Act like I existed. Act like I was here. Act like I did something. You would have thought I had a terrible season.''

Bucks coach George Karl clarified a comment he made last week that seemed to be a dig at Riley. Karl has said he doesn't want to become another Riley.
``I still think Pat's one of the top five coaches in basketball, and to see his struggles scares the heck out of me,'' Karl said. ``It's a fear the edge he has had, and I've had, can go out the window pretty quick. It wasn't a criticism. It was more of a fear that this could happen to anyone. I love competing against him, but you don't want one of your cohorts in agony. I don't want my enemy to go through the viciousness of what coaching can do to you.

``When you see guys like Riley and [Kansas City Chiefs coach] Dick Vermeil and [Carolina Panthers coach George Seifert] can't win a game, it shows there's a really thin edge from being very good and being [awful].''

Karl said he is ``astounded'' by the Heat's start. ``They have good players,'' he said. ``My gut says they're going to make the playoffs.''

Swingman Kendall Gill, who has missed 15 games after surgery on a fractured left pinkie, has been cleared to return and might be back as early as Friday's game against New Jersey. Riley said he wanted Gill to have at least one practice before being activated.
Because of Gill's imminent return, Riley said the Heat likely would not sign swingman Mario Elie, who has been trying to get in shape at the team's practice site. ``He stayed here of his own volition,'' Riley said. ``I like Mario, [but] I can't wait for somebody. Eddie Jones, Kendall, Jimmy Jackson are all the same kind of players.''

Continuing to play the role of psychologist, Riley insisted before the game ``there's no pressure on anybody any more. They should be loose as a goose. We're out of it, in the minds of everybody else. This team has a long way to go.''

Riley raved about Jackson, then gave him his first start at small forward. ``He has opened up my eyes,'' Riley said.