Heat center Alonzo Mourning, suffering from the flu, was a late scratch from the starting lineup Monday night at Utah.

Mourning, who was feeling ill when the Heat flew out of Miami on Sunday, did not join the team for its Monday morning workout at the Delta Center. He stayed in his hotel room Monday night resting and taking medications.

Mourning is questionable for tonight's game at Denver.

``Right now, we just think it is the flu, but we will evaluate further [today] when we arrive in Denver,'' Heat coach Pat Riley said. ``Knowing Zo's past, we will monitor it carefully, but we also don't want to jump each time he has a hangnail. As far as we know, it is a common flu that had been going around his house. I think first the kids had it and then his wife.''

When Mourning, who is recovering from kidney disease, was ill earlier this season, it was originally thought to be food poisoning and later thought to be a virus. He missed two games -- Nov. 6 and 8 -- before returning to play three games. He then missed another three games.

When he returned Nov. 23 against Dallas, he struggled for several weeks to regain his strength, stamina and effectiveness. In the first five games back after his ailment, he failed to score more than 14 points in any game and had one game of eight points and one of four points.

Mourning has been playing well the past few weeks and is a long shot to be added to the Eastern Conference All-Star roster when reserves are announced today.

SHINN ON ZO

To hear Charlotte Hornets co-owner George Shinn tell it, Mourning wanted no part of the Hornets when he came to Miami in a 1995 trade.

In a recent interview with a New Orleans paper -- the city the Hornets are attempting to relocate to -- Shinn said, ``Alonzo didn't want to stay. He didn't want to stay in little Charlotte. He wanted a bigger market, he wanted to play for Pat Riley and he thought he could win a championship. So life goes on. He got his money and we got better, and unfortunately he had his [kidney] problems.''

Shinn's assertions are tantamount to a slap in the face to Mourning. Mourning has said he would likely have stayed in Charlotte had he been offered a contract with the salary he sought. His departure had more to do with money than a dislike for Charlotte, he said.