Like Pat Riley, the Lakers' Phil Jackson, whose team played host to the Heat late Wednesday, has never had a losing season as an NBA coach.

So Jackson understands better than most the type of adjustment Riley has been forced to make this season to adapt to the Heat's frequent losing.

``I can't imagine,'' Jackson said. ``I know what it's like when you're used to winning 50 games a year. I know what it's like to lose. It's not any fun in this game. When you put together a project, a game, a plan and you try to get your players to execute it and it doesn't work out right, it's got to be very difficult for him.''

Jackson has won an average of 55 games in his 11 previous seasons coaching the Bulls and Lakers. His teams have won eight of the past 11 NBA Finals, six with the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in the 1990s and the past two seasons with Los Angeles. His worst year was a 47-win season in 1994-95 with Chicago.

Jackson seems sure Riley's fortunes will change.

``I'm sure that he knows after all the success that he's on the right path and at some point things will turn around,'' Jackson said. ``Whether it's too late for this team, I don't know.''


NOT GIVING UP

At least one Heat player is keeping an eye on the Eastern Conference standings.

Center Alonzo Mourning made reference to the playoffs this week and his belief that the opportunity remains for the Heat to sneak into the postseason.

``We can't keep winning three, losing three,'' Mourning said. ``We have to get some consistency. We have to start making a move in some of these games so we can try to get that eighth [playoff] spot.''

Miami is in last place in the Atlantic Division.


NOT MUCH DROPOFF

With Kobe Bryant being the league's third-leading scorer (26.6 ppg), the Heat understood that center Shaquille O'Neal's absence Wednesday because of a three-game suspension didn't mean much. In fact, the defensive objective becomes more complicated when O'Neal is out.

``With Shaq, they don't run their triangle [offense],'' Riley said. ``Now, we're going to play against movement, and you're going to play against Kobe, and he's going to try to take it upon himself to try to prove to everybody that he is a great player.''