Even before seeing newly acquired swingman Jim Jackson take the floor for the first time in a Heat uniform late Tuesday night, Heat coach Pat Riley praised him after two days of good practices.

``We're going to try and limit what we do when he's out there, but he's picked things up well,'' Riley said before the Heat's tipoff against the Clippers.

Riley added that he ``probably should have signed him earlier. He was out there all year. If I knew we were going to be in this position [last in the Atlantic Division], I would have signed him last summer. He's a complete player. He can score, he can shoot, he can post up. I'm really impressed. . . . I just think he's going to help us.''

The 6-6 Jackson signed a one-year deal Sunday for the veteran minimum after a hip injury to forward Sam Mack and news that Kendall Gill's broken finger is taking longer to heal than expected.