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PRE-NBA
Young Zo
College
Years
Charlotte
NBA Rookie
All-Star Reserve
Superstar
Miami
Heat
First
Season
61 Win Season
Suspension
Master of Rejection
Defensive Expert
Medical Defense
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 Mourning once again won the Defensive Player of the Year award,
blocking 3.72 blocks per game. He came in 3rd for the MVP award
behind the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal and Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett. O’Neal’s
supremacy during the season demoted Zo to the All-NBA Second Team, although
he still kept his All-Defensive First Team honor. The NBA fans did not ignore
Zo’s hard work and dedication. He was voted in as the starting center for
East at the NBA All-Star game. Although the featured western centers were
three 7-footers, Zo finished with scored 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocked
shots.
In a game FlameZone moderator Tony attended, Alonzo Mourning scored
43 points due to 13/14 shooting from the field, and grabbed 16 rebounds and
rejected 5 shots.
On December 12 against the Kings, Zo scored 37 points, 15 rebounds and 7
blocks to lead the Heat to the NBA’s best record at the time. Zo did so well
during December that he won his first ever Player of the Month award by
averaging 23.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and an incredible 5.29 blocks per game
during the month.
Miami jumped to a 6-1 record to start the season, finishing at 52-30, above
New York, who finished 50-32. In round one of the playoffs, Miami swept the
Grant-Hill-less (he was injured) Detroit Pistons, while New York swept
Toronto. This set the stage for Miami vs. New York, for the fourth
consecutive year. Mourning and the Heat seemed to have the series under control.
They won games 1, 3 and 5, which meant they were either tied or leading the
series. Miami was up 3-2 and was sitting on a 45-30 halftime lead in New York
in game 6. But in the end Miami blew the lead, sending it back to the
decisive game 7 in Miami. Miami led by 7 points with 7 minutes to go, but
after losing by one point the year before, Miami did it again, losing 82-81
at home.
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