Even though Pat Riley struggled through a tough opening month, which included his worst start ever and public criticism from his former players, the Heat coach has his supporters. Former Trail Blazers and Celtics center Bill Walton is not putting Riley in a retirement home just yet, regardless of what players are saying.

"Consider where the criticism is coming from," Walton said. "Former Heat point guard Tim Hardaway, now with Dallas, recently knocked Riley for never being satisfied with the Heat's performance. Why should Riley have been satisfied? He is used to coaching teams that won championships and the best Miami did in Hardaway's five and a half seasons with the Heat was one trip to the Eastern Conference finals. The truth is Hardaway wanted a huge contract to stay in Miami and was never able to get it. Sounds like sour grapes to me.

"Other ex-Heat players like Anthony Mason, Chris Gatling and Jamal Mashburn have all said that Riley's practices were too grueling and the players were worn down by the time the playoffs arrived. Since I've never played for Riley, I can't say for sure if that's true, but those complaints would be much more valid if Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, all of whom starred for Riley, were the ones doing the complaining.

"Why listen to what I consider the nonsense of journeymen like Mason, Gatling and Mashburn, guys who have been passed around their entire NBA careers and who've never been able to get the job done anywhere they've played? By knocking Riley, they're just trying to cover up for their own deficiencies and lack of accomplishments."

? Winning half of their games is suddenly not good enough for some Golden State Warriors. Some actually want to play, too.

Bob Sura, the former Florida State star, has gone from starter to reserve. Marc Jackson went from one of last year's Rookie of the Year candidates to not even playing this season. Antawn Jamison still isn't happy with the amount of minutes or his role on the team. While it doesn't sound like players are happy with coach Dave Cowens, the team's surprising play this year shows he's making the proper decisions.

"Playing time isn't one of the things they get to vote on," Cowens said. "I care about me being happy and the owner being happy."