Five years ago, who would have guessed that Bob Knight would one day coach at Texas Tech? Or that Michael Jordan would play for Washington? Or that Pat Riley would coach one of the worst teams in the NBA?

As Chuck Berry once sang, it just goes to show you never can tell.

Glenn Rogers says that Pat Riley needs to forget the notion that the Heat might get back in the playoff hunt, that Larry Brown took another jab at Iverson, that Krause denies there was a power struggle between him and Floyd, that Lucas claims he'd be the best point guard ever if it weren't for drugs, and that Dan Issel got a severance package worth close to the $5 million he was scheduled to be paid this season and next.

Two seasons ago, Jerry Stackhouse was on a Detroit Pistons team that was swept by Miami 3-0 in the first round of the playoffs.

On Sunday, Stackhouse and his Pistons beat the Heat for the first time since April 12, 2000.

What's the difference between this 5-23 Miami team and the one that beat Detroit the past seven times they've met in the regular season of playoffs? Stackhouse says the answer is Jamal Mashburn.

"You definitely underestimate the presence of a Mashburn on that team," said Stackhouse, who scored 24 points against Miami on Sunday despite being limited to 28 minutes because of foul trouble. "That's what they're missing."

Mashburn was traded two summers ago in the deal that brought Eddie Jones to Miami. Since then, the Heat played primarily with Bruce Bowen at small forward position last season and LaPhonso Ellis and Jim Jackson this season.

Jackson has tried to be the inside-outside player Miami is lacking (he has shot 52 percent over his last four games), but his 6-foot-6 frame limits him against some of the bigger small forwards in the league. Jones has a decent post-up game but often gets muscled off the block and ends up with an isolation play on the perimeter.

"They've got (Alonzo Mourning) in the middle, Brian (Grant) can post and hits jump shots, Eddie is doing his thing coming off screens and creating problems and getting guys open shots," Stackhouse said. "I think they need that key component, even though Jimmy's been playing well, Mash could hurt you inside and out and that's little bit of something that they're missing."

? Scary moment: Jones went down in obvious pain in the third quarter Sunday after running into Mourning with his left shoulder.

It was the same shoulder Jones had surgically repaired this off-season, so the pain he felt when he went down shook the shooting guard.

"When it happened I was a little scared," Jones said. "It was stinging. When it stings like that, I was like, `Whoa.' "

Jones left the floor holding his left arm. But after stretching and icing his shoulder he returned to the game. He missed three of four shots after returning.

? Hot flashes: Heat coach Pat Riley said he has seen more consistency from Mourning recently, especially defensively.

"I'm beginning to see flashes of the old Zo more consistently," Riley said. "I think a player has to understand who he is, where he came from and what he's all about as a player. Zo was Defensive Player of the Year as a shot blocker and intimidator inside. That's where his greatness is and that's where he has to focus a lot more of his energy, defensive rebound the ball, clog up the lane and then let the offense just sort of come with it."

In his last five games, Mourning is averaging 15.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks.

That welcome sign in the Detroit airport wasn't made specifically for the Miami Heat. But it seemed everyone in Detroit was happy to see the Heat arrive.

The Pistons had lost seven in a row entering Sunday's game at The Palace, and perhaps only the Chicago Bulls would have been a more welcome sight. A Detroit radio sports talk-show host even guaranteed a win by the Pistons.

The sad truth is, Miami has become the doormat of the league. And it lived up to that label against Detroit, helping the Pistons snap their losing streak and extending its own to five games with an 86-80 loss, tying the Bulls for the worst record in the league (5-23).

"We can't kid ourselves. We are who we are," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "And in order for us to win, we have to get better."

Not only get better from one game to the next, but better from one quarter to the next. The Heat have been doing just the opposite all season, regressing as the game goes on and giving in when the opposition steps up its defense.

Brian Grant and Alonzo Mourning combined to score 40 points on 17-of-19 shooting, but only five of those shot attempts came in the second half as Miami deferred to a more active Detroit defense.

"When a defense begins to push on you and pressure you and front you and make it hard for you to move, then you have to execute harder, you have to be tougher, you have to drive the ball hard, you have to make plays," Riley said. "We start some games doing everything we know we should do. Then we revert back to non-execution, sort of selfish play, poor spacing, make offensive fouls. It just keeps adding up. It seems as though as the game progresses, we lose a focus. That's what we do. That's why we're who we are."

Once the Pistons took away Mourning and Grant, the Heat were left relying on an off-target Eddie Jones (6-of-16 from the field) and a bench that combined to make just 3-of-22 field goals, with Eddie House (1-of-11) leading the way.

After falling behind by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, Miami quickly closed to within three at 56-53 with five minutes remaining in the period. But the Heat missed their next five shots as Detroit went on an 8-0 run to build the lead right back up to 11.

"I think sometimes we tend to get a little discouraged, and then we end up having another great run," said Jones, who finished with 15 points. "The thing is to just stay strong, and if something happens wrong, you do your best to play through it."

Despite his 18-point, 10-rebound night, Mourning found himself contributing to the Heat's undoing.

"There were a couple times where I broke the play," Mourning said. "I was supposed to roll one time and didn't roll. Sometimes guys aren't getting the plays. There are turnovers, mindless turnovers. If we get random, that's when we get in trouble -- especially down the stretch."

Sunday's loss was the 10th in 13 games for the Heat during the month of December. They play Indiana tonight.

It was easy for Riley to pinpoint many of Miami's mistakes because the Pistons defense is similar to the Heat's. What he saw was the same passive team he's seen all season.

"They don't have a lot of tricks, a lot of gimmicks, they just come at you real hard and play you hard," Riley said. "So from an offensive standpoint you have to play with force and you have to make the play that's there.

"We don't have bad players, but right now we have a team that's playing bad. We don't execute."

Coach Pat Riley and the Heat have been waiting for center Alonzo Mourning to show the type of play that has twice earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Throw out the game at Toronto when he played only 24 minutes and there's a hint that there are signs the old Mourning is beginning to surface. He has played 35 minutes in each of the past two games, recording 34 points, 20 rebounds and nine blocks.

"A couple of blocks he had the other night on [Stromile] Swift were incredible," Riley said. "I'm beginning to see the flashes of the old Zo more consistently.

"A player has to understand who he is and what he's all about as a player. He was defensive player of the year, a shot blocker, an intimidator inside and that's where his greatness is. That's where he has to focus a lot more of his energy ... I've seen some things that have been encouraging the last few games."

Mourning finished with his seventh double-double of the season, with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Few free throws

Much of the Heat's lack of scoring can be attributed to its inability to reach the free-throw line. Through Friday the Heat had the fewest trips to the charity strip, ahead of only Minnesota and Milwaukee.

"Getting more [free-throw attempts] would be nicer," Riley said. "Obviously, we don't get to the line that much. Any form of defensive aggression after that to put you on the line for a couple of shots is all part of the focus on the game. As far as making them, it comes to make or miss. If you can't make them during the game, there's something outside bothering you."

The Heat had attempted only 572 free throws, making 385 for a league-low 67.3 percent before Sunday's Detroit game.

"There are some nights when we are attacking more, slashing and driving more," Riley said. "The guys have to go to the basket with it. Our post-up players have to get fouled. The important thing about free throws is that at the beginning of each quarter it's important to be more aggressive and take the ball to the basket and get into the penalty early."

The Heat fared better against the Pistons, making 22 of 29 tries.

Strickland starts

Rod Strickland, nagged by a right groin injury all season and despite aggravating it against Memphis on Friday, earned the start against Detroit.

"He got very stiff the other night and you could see it when I put him back in the game," Riley said.

Strickland received treatment before Sunday's game. ...

Guard Anthony Carter didn't make the road trip because of a lower abdominal injury, though he was expected to come off the injury list before tonight's game against the Indiana Pacers.

Riley said Carter would get in a few practice sessions before a decision is made on his return. Not until then will a decision be made on surgery. If that is required, Carter could miss an additional three weeks.

The Detroit Pistons found a remedy for their seven-game losing streak. They played the Heat.

Jerry Stackhouse scored 24 points to lead the Pistons to an 86-80 victory at the Palace of Auburn Hills, sending the Heat to its sixth straight loss. Brian Grant scored a season-high 22 points, and Alonzo Mourning added 18 points and 10 rebounds in the defeat.
But as it has been throughout the Heat's 5-23 season, the team's best was far from good enough.

"It was a defensive game as both teams were into one another," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "[Detroit] turned theirs up a little bit in the third quarter. We had a very hard time in the second half getting good shots. We got shots, but we didn't get good shots. We stopped making plays.

"We had to play with a force. That was one of the keys to the game. At an offensive standpoint we needed to play with force and had to make the play that was there. We just didn't make enough plays."

The Heat trailed by as much as 12 points in the fourth quarter before making an effort to rally. But after Jim Jackson cut the Pistons' lead to 75-70 on a pair of free throws with 3:35 to play, Chucky Atkins buried a 3-pointer from 27 feet -- his only basket of the night.

"It doesn't matter who we play, we have to play well," Riley said. "We don't have bad players. Right now we have a team that's playing bad. We don't execute. We start some games doing everything we know we should do and then we revert back to non-execution, sort of selfish play, poor spacing, make offensive fouls and it keeps adding up."

Mourning said, "We didn't execute down the stretch in making the right plays to beat them. We shot ourselves in the foot. If we cut down on the things that's hurting us down the stretch, then we'd be all right. It's the same story all the time. We get in a close game, then we start doing things to pretty much cater to the opposition."

Mourning eventually fouled out with 2:01 remaining.

The Heat stayed close to the Pistons behind the accurate shooting of Mourning and Grant. The pair combined to shoot 12 of 14 from the field in the first half. Many of their points, especially late in the second quarter, came under the basket, helping to cut the Pistons' lead to 46-42 before the end of the half.

Being down only four points at the half was remarkable with the Pistons shooting 72.2 percent in the first quarter.

The Pistons had built a 12-point lead, their biggest of the first half, when Jon Barry made a 21-foot jumper and converted a free throw to complete a three-point play with 8:53 left.

Clifford Robinson helped the Pistons rebuild their lead to 55-44 early in the third quarter with a 3-pointer.

Detroit was able to take away what Grant was hurting them with in the first half. After 16 points, Grant was held to six points in the second half.

Eddie Jones, who had 15 points, left the game with 4:06 remaining in the third quarter after bruising his left shoulder. It was the same shoulder he dislocated last season that caused him to miss 15 games.

Riley said, "As the game progresses, we lose focus. That's what we do and that's why we're where we are."

Tipoff: 7 p.m. at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

TV, radio: Sunshine, WIOD (610), WACC (830-Spanish).

Heat injuries: G Anthony Carter (abdomen), C Ernest Brown (thumb), C Sean Marks (abdomen) are out.

Pacers injuries: C Primoz Brezec (ankle) and G Norm Richardson (ankle) are out.

Scouting report: Although Jalen Rose's production has fallen off recently, the Pacers have gotten a huge lift from PF Jermaine O'Neal, who is having an All-Star-type season, and rookie PG Jamaal Tinsley, who ranks third in the NBA in assists at 9.3 per game. Coach Isiah Thomas plays Al Harrington, Jonathan Bender, Travis Best, Austin Croshere and Carlos Rogers off the bench.
Probable Heat starters
No. Player Pos. Ht. Avg. 24 Jim Jackson F 6-6 13.9 44 Brian Grant F 6-9 9.1 33 Alonzo Mourning C 6-10 14.0  6 Eddie Jones G 6-6 18.0  1 Rod Strickland G 6-1 7.7 Probable Pacers starters
No. Player Pos. Ht. Avg.  5 Jalen Rose F 6-8 18.2  7 J.O'Neal F 6-11 19.1 10 Jeff Foster C 6-11 5.9 31 Reggie Miller G 6-7 16.9 11 Jamaal Tinsley G 6-3 10.1

Swarming defenses and poor stamina have caused Alonzo Mourning's fourth-quarter scoring numbers to plummet, hampering a Heat offense that is often ineffective late in games. But coach Pat Riley doesn't seem concerned.

Instead, Riley on Sunday encouraged Mourning to concentrate on defense and rebounding even at the expense of an inconsistent offensive game.

Mourning entered the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss at Detroit with 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting. But Mourning, faced with double-teams, never took a shot from the field in the fourth and played just 4:41 of the quarter because of foul trouble.

Mourning committed four fouls in the fourth, and fouled out while trying to get offensive position with the Heat down 78-70 and 2:03 left. His only fourth-quarter point came on a free throw.

Since a viral infection sidelined him early in the season, Mourning has totaled just 33 fourth-quarter points in 20 games. During that stretch, he has scored more than three points in the fourth quarter only three times.

Over 23 games this season, Mourning has just 47 fourth-quarter points. His energy sapped by kidney disease, Mourning sometimes can't establish ideal position late in games. Double teams, though, are the biggest hinderance.

``There isn't a time we don't try to get him the basketball if the game's on the line,'' Riley said.

Mourning's 14.0 scoring average is well below his 20.9 career average, although part of that results from playing fewer minutes. But Riley is more interested in Mourning's defense.

``A player has to understand who he is,'' Riley said. ``Zo was Defensive Player of the Year [twice previously], is a shot-blocker, intimidator inside. That's where his greatness is. That's where he has to focus a lot more of his energy. Rebound, clog the lane, and let the offense come with it. . . . Sometimes we don't do what it is we do best.

``A couple blocks he had on [Memphis'] Stromile Swift the other night were incredible. I'm beginning to see flashes of the old Zo more consistently. I've seen some things from Zo that have really encouraged me the last couple of games.''

Spurs forward Bruce Bowen joined Tim Hardaway as the second former Heat player to imply Mourning might be better off retiring and concentrating on his recovery.
``I know Zo loves to play and that he would miss the game, but at what point do you say, `I've tried this and it's not working? Maybe it's time to try something else,' '' Bowen said.

Riley, on why the Heat is shooting just 67.3 percent from the line, ahead of only the Lakers: ``My guys will shoot 100 free throws in practice and make 80 or 90 of them. When they turn the lights on, and you can't make 80 percent of your free throws, there's something outside of the game that's bothering you.''

The Heat has become the magic potion, the perfect panacea, for ailing opponents.

The Detroit Pistons, mired in a seven-game losing streak, got healthy Sunday against a Heat team whose futility has become amazingly consistent.

This 86-80 loss -- the Heat's sixth straight -- featured the usual ingredients: sporadic offense, defensive breakdowns, poor rebounding and too many turnovers (18).

``We don't have bad players, but right now, we have a team that's playing bad,'' coach Pat Riley said. ``We don't execute. We start games doing everything we know we should, and then we revert to non-execution, sort of selfish play, poor spacing, offensive fouls. It just keeps adding up. As the game progresses, we lose a focus. . . . That's why we are where we are.''

Miami (5-23) couldn't capitalize on a season-high 22 points from Brian Grant, who shot 10 for 11. Alonzo Mourning added 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting. But the rest of the Heat shot 15 for 53.

The Pistons kept Mourning and Grant from getting off shots in the second half. Neither missed a shot from the field after halftime, Grant going 3 for 3 and Mourning 2 for 2. But they combined for just 11 points in the second half, after totaling 29 in the first.

``We had a hard time in the second half getting good shots,'' Riley said. ``They took away Brian's jumper. . . . When a defense begins to pressure and front you, you have to execute harder, be tougher, drive the ball harder.''

The Pistons, the NBA's worst rebounding team, beat the Heat 41-30 on the glass, Miami's 30 boards equaling a season low.

``The Pistons can be beat,'' Mourning said. ``We shot ourselves in the foot. It's the same story every time. We get into close games and start doing things that . . . cater to the opposition.''

Down by as many as 12, the Heat pulled to within 83-80 on LaPhonso Ellis' three-pointer with 5.4 seconds left. But Michael Curry hit a free throw, and Ellis threw a bad pass.

As usual, the Heat got unproductive point-guard play and little from the bench. Rod Strickland (eight points) missed six of nine shots and committed four turnovers. He left briefly late in the game after banging knees with Chucky Atkins.

Eddie House had a miserable night, shooting 1 for 11. Riley said he will ``eventually'' use rookie Mike James, who hasn't played in three straight games.

Reserves House, Ellis, Chris Gatling and Kendall Gill combined to shoot 3 for 22. Ellis went 2 for 7, making him 6 for his last 31.

And so it was no surprise the Heat, which ranks last in the league in scoring, failed to reach 100 points for the 28th straight game, one short of the NBA record shared by Orlando and Chicago.

``They've always been a team that has struggled to score,'' said Pistons guard Jerry Stackhouse, who scored a game-high 24. ``I don't understand that because they've got talented scorers. It baffles me how that team is 5-23 because they're much better than that.''

Stackhouse and Curry said former Heat forward Jamal Mashburn -- sent to Charlotte in the Eddie Jones trade -- was ``underestimated'' and is badly missed.

The season has deteriorated so badly, the Heat can't even avoid doing damage to each other. Mourning inadvertently knocked the ball out of Grant's hands when Grant had a layup attempt in the first quarter.

In the third quarter, Jones bruised his left shoulder when he ran into Mourning's elbow. ``It was scary,'' said Jones, who had surgery on the same shoulder in May. ``It stung, but I'm fine.''

Jones had 15 points and six steals but three turnovers.

One encouraging sign was the play of Grant, who entered shooting 40.5 percent.

Grant consistently hit his jumper for one of the few times this season.

``Wide-open shots,'' Grant said. ``Unlike past games, I took them.''

The Pistons hit 16 of their first 22 shots to go up by 12, then cooled off, finishing at 46.2 percent. But the Heat was held below 82 points for the sixth time in its past nine games.

``We have a lot of breakdowns at both ends, and then we tend to get discouraged and have another breakdown,'' Jones said.

As bad as things are going right now for the Pistons -- and with seven straight losses, things are going mighty badly -- there is always somebody who has it worse.
  Take tonight's opponent, for example. The once-proud and powerful Miami Heat come limping into The Palace with the second-worst record in the NBA, and riding a five-game losing streak.
  "It's not working, that's all there is to it," said Heat Coach Pat Riley after his team lost to the Memphis Grizzlies at home Friday. "We are just fumbling and stumbling around."