Miami — Alonzo Mourning first heard the question from his wife. His doctors, coaches, teammates just about everyone Mourning encountered the day after his return to the sport where he stars wanted to know the same thing.
"How do I feel? I've been asked that a lot today," Mourning said after practice Wednesday.
Mourning, who was diagnosed with a kidney disease in October, was stiff and sore following his season debut Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors. The 6-foot-10 All-Star center didn't offer much insight into how he felt, mostly because he wants the attention to shift from his health to the team's well-being as the postseason approaches.
"I was all the things that can be attributed to a training-camp-type feeling," he said. "This is like my preseason. Most of the other guys have played 69 games and had a training camp. Unfortunately, I couldn't do that."
Mourning had nine points and six rebounds in a 101-92 loss to the Raptors. He played 19 minutes and was 3-of-11 shooting, missing several short jumpers and a few runners in the lane.
He was stronger on defense, altering shots and shutting down Toronto's inside game.
"I still have a lot to work on," Mourning said.
Mostly, on his conditioning. Mourning was exhausted at times during the game, resting with his hands atop his head or grabbing the bottom of his shorts.
Miami has 12 games remaining this season, beginning Friday night at Milwaukee. Heat coach Pat Riley thinks that is enough time to get Mourning in playing shape, integrate him into the lineup and prepare his team for the playoffs.
It could be an easy task. It also might prove difficult, especially if other players struggle with sacrificing playing time to accommodate the six-time All-Star and two-time defensive player of the year.
"Zo is a positive factor, not a negative," Riley said. "If anybody looks at it as a negative because it affects them and because it's changed the talk about the team, then they have an ego problem."
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