Toronto Raptors assistant coach Stan Albeck suffered a stroke before Sunday's 83-76 win over Miami and was taken to a local hospital.

The 70-year-old Albeck was conscious when he was taken

from the Raptors' locker room on a stretcher. He's undergoing tests at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.
No further information on his condition was immediately available.

``It's a tough situation when you know you have a game to play, but you want to be around to give your support,'' said Raptors guard Vince Carter, who had 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Albeck has been an assistant on Lenny Wilkens' staff the past six seasons, including the past two in Toronto. He was a head coach in the NBA with Cleveland, San Antonio, New Jersey and Chicago, posting a 307-265 record.


JAMES GOALS

Heat guard Mike James came to the NBA with a purpose, and it wasn't to just take up space.

``My goal was never to just make it to the NBA,'' said James, who got the first regular-season minutes of his career against Toronto on Sunday. James was re-signed by the Heat last week after being waived in the preseason. ``My goal was to play in the NBA.''

Entering the game with 5:15 left and Miami down 17, James helped ignite a spurt of 16 points in the game's final 4:23. He finished with five points and three assists, drilling a three-pointer and tossing a 30-foot alley-oop to Jim Jackson for a breakaway dunk.

James' play could lead to more minutes, Heat coach Pat Riley said.

``I think Mike can help us,'' Riley said. ``I'll give him some time in the next couple of weeks.''

James was one of the few bright spots in a game that proceeded in typical fashion with Miami playing sluggish offensively and missing a much-needed spark. Could James be that spark?

``I just said `It's time to work,' James said. ``That's my game. I try to [bring] energy. I think that's one thing that we haven't been doing a lot of is running the ball.''


ARROYO PLAYS

Former Florida International University guard Carlos Arroyo saw his first action for Toronto since being activated from the injured list on Thursday, scoring two points in nine minutes against the Heat on Sunday.

Arroyo, who was signed as an undrafted free agent, went through a trying series of events to make the NBA, but with a quarter of the season behind him, he has had time to reflect on his accomplishments.

``I learned not to take anything for granted,'' said Arroyo, who overcame a summertime injury during pre-draft camps to make the Raptors' roster. ``I can't believe to this day that I'm here.

``I think the hardest part is to get into the league. Once you get here, you just need to work hard to stay here. I worked so hard to get here and went through so much, I thank God every day that I'm here.''


Heat guard Eddie House, playing increased minutes because of an injury to Anthony Carter, needed five stitches to close a gash above his right eye that was inadvertently delivered by Toronto forward Morris Peterson's elbow with 11:23 left. House came to the sideline bleeding profusely before being taken to the locker room by team trainer Ron Culp.