Atlanta ? Alonzo Mourning refused to leave what might have been the last game of his career on a stretcher.

After tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee in Miami’s game against Atlanta on Wednesday night, the 37-year-old Heat center was placed on the stretcher, but he refused the ride.

“That’s not the way I envisioned myself walking off the court for the last time in my career,” he said. “I’ve been through so much in my life. If I had to crawl off the court I would have. Nobody was going to push me off on a stretcher off the court. That wasn’t going to happen.”

Mourning already has said there is “zero chance” of playing another season.

“We tried to help him up and he just said ‘It’s over, it’s over,”‘ Miami’s Udonis Haslem said.

Mourning sat up, rose to his feet and limped to the Miami bench with the assistance of teammates. He received an ovation as he made the slow, painful walk to the bench.