Alonzo Mourning is a perfect example of what a win will do for a guy's attitude.
In his three seasons with the Miami Heat, Mourning's annual visit to the Delta Center has produced a myriad of emotions.Two years ago, the high-priced center blamed himself for a 94-92 loss to the Jazz. Mourning was just 4 of 17 from the free-throw line in that one.
Last season, he blistered Utah with postgame remarks following an 83-80 setback. "We're a better team than they are - by far," Mourning said. "I ain't giving them credit. None at all. All they do is cry. They're always crying and (bleep) - crying and flopping - (the officials) were giving them the calls. It's crazy." As was the game that featured six technical fouls and two ejections.
Mourning's luck changed Tuesday. His 19-foot jumper with 21.3 seconds remaining lifted the Heat to a 104-102 victory over the Jazz. It was enough to make the normally ornery big man, who refused to shake hands with anyone before the game, smile.
"It makes you feel good. It makes you feel like we're improving as a team," Mourning said of the defending Atlantic Division champions. "We're definitely improving as a team because we stayed the course regardless of the run that they had. We kept our composure and made the plays down the stretch. That's a sign of the ball club maturing."
Same could be said of Mourning's postgame demeanor. Although who wouldn't be in a good mood after leading a winning effort with 20 points and nine rebounds? Besides, Mourning added, "It felt like a playoff game, to tell you the truth."
Teammate Tim Hardaway agreed after watching Utah whittle Miami's 15-point lead down to one in the final six minutes.
"It was very intense. They made shots but we had to come back and make a bigger shot," Hardaway said. "They made a big shot and we had to come back and make another big shot, and that's what we did."
The kicker, however, was "we capitalized on three-point shots."
The Heat made 12 treys in the contest, with Voshon Lenard leading the way with five. Dan Majerle hit three and Hardaway made two, while Keith Askins and former Jazzman Eric Murdock added single shots as Miami shot 44 percent from the arc.
In the end, it proved too much for Utah to overcome.
"We played real well against a real good team on the road," said Miami coach Pat Riley, whose team has now won eight straight away from home.
"When you play good teams the games are going to be a little bit harrowing and close. We knew (Utah) was going to come back. And they almost came all the way back."