Miami has shown some interest in former Heat guard Voshon Lenard, who has played sparingly for Denver recently.

But the Nuggets were not interested in taking on the last three years and $8.4 million of Michael Doleac's contract.

The Knicks' problems adjusting to Larry Brown's emphasis on team basketball over individual skill are the same problems the 2004 U.S. Olympic team had on its way to a disappointing bronze medal.

Miami guard Dwyane Wade was quoted in yesterday's Miami Herald saying, "I don't think any of us got the opportunity to play to our strengths, which makes us good players and would have made us a good team."

With Brown and the Knicks in town to play the Heat last night at American Airlines Arena, Wade sounded a conciliatory note, saying he had an "unbelievable" experience and expressing his gratitude for the time Brown spent working with him. But even though he said he was "kind of misquoted," Wade essentially repeated his observation that most of the NBA stars felt restricted by Brown.

"What I was saying was that when we were in the Olympics, there were a lot of guys that were good one-on-one players, and we weren't able to play to our strengths because [Brown] wanted the ball to move around a certain amount of times," Wade said.

"You've got guys like Iverson and Stephon who can come down and break their guy down off the dribble. And I'm a good driver. And LeBron. We weren't able to do that. We were trying to get comfortable with each other, and we didn't have enough time."

Heat center Shaquille O'Neal said Friday his sprained right ankle is progressing and ''hopefully'' he will be ``be back in a week, two weeks.''

The latter projection would seem more realistic. O'Neal said he resumed jogging two days ago but was limited when he worked out on the Heat's practice court before Friday's game.

''I can't turn,'' he said. ``I can only go straight.''

O'Neal, who said he ''tore a couple of ligaments'' when he sustained the injury Nov. 3 against Indiana, already has missed 10 games. He would miss another seven games if he's out two more weeks.

Backup center Michael Doleac returned for his first game of the season after sustaining partial tears of his left calf muscle during training camp. Doleac's return coincides with Wayne Simien missing his first game with back spasms.

''Our big guys are not the healthiest group of people in the world,'' Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said.

The Heat may soon get some relief for its thin frontcourt.

Center Michael Doleac, out since the start of the season because of a right calf injury, said he has been cleared to return for the Heat's home game against the New York Knicks on Monday.

"It is a huge relief," Doleac said before the Heat played at Orlando on Saturday. "It's been frustrating to be out and hurt at the beginning of the season."

Word is the Heat front office wants Stan Van Gundy to play the young players more and would consider offers for Dorell Wright.

Life is a lot more enjoyable for the Toronto Raptors now that they've finally won a game.

"Everyone likes each other again," said a chuckling Mike James after the Raptors beat the first-place Miami Heat 107-94 on Sunday to end Toronto's longest losing streak since 2003.

Chris Bosh had a season-high 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Raptors, who opened the season 0-9 -- the worst start in their 11-year history. James added 25 points for Toronto.

"The mood always lightens after a win. People are nicer, the food tastes better, practice is a lot more fun," Bosh said.

The Raptors went on an 18-2 run late in the fourth to seal the victory, ending their longest losing streak since a 12-game skid from Dec. 18, 2002-Jan. 10, 2003.

Toronto's win leaves the Atlanta Hawks as the NBA's only winless team.

Sam Mitchell refuses to grow wistful at the thought of what might have been or how much easier his life would have been had Alonzo Mourning ever had any intention of pulling on a Raptor jersey.

And while the Toronto head coach isn't going to look back, he won't have to glance too far this afternoon to see just how healthy ? and dominant ? Mourning has become since the Raptors paid him nearly $10 million (U.S.) to not show up.

"The fire's back, the passion," Mitchell said of Mourning, who'll be at the Air Canada Centre as the Miami Heat try to extend Toronto's season-opening losing streak to an even 10 games.

"He really feels like that team's got a chance to win a championship and that's what he wants, dearly. An opportunity."

"No, no, no, no, there's no point in even going there," Mitchell responded when asked 'what if'.

"This is our team and instead of worrying about what we don't have, we're worrying about getting our guys better, and if we do that, we'll be okay."

Stan Van Gundy announced that reserve center Earl Barron would miss two to three months with a stress fracture in his lower back.

Fitch remains uncertain how he injured his back, other than it came during the team's informal summer workouts. Barron is equally unclear of how he sustained what the team lists as a stress fracture of the facet joint.

"I jumped in a weird way in the Charlotte game at the end of the game," he said of last Saturday's victory over the Bobcats. "I didn't fall. I landed awkward. It was a freak accident."

The Miami Heat on Friday bolstered its depth at point guard by re-signing rookie free agent Gerald Fitch.

Fitch spent the summer with the Heat in its offseason workout program at AmericanAirlines Arena, but was unable to participate in training camp due to a back injury sustained in those summer workouts. He was among the team's final preseason cuts, but had remained in South Florida to continue his rehab with the Heat training staff.

Fitch, who played collegiately at Kentucky, provides depth in a backcourt that will temporarily be without starting point guard Jason Williams, who has a bruised right knee.