Heat expect to improve after disappointing finish

Van Gundy himself will have trouble overcoming Monday's loss; not only will he not bear to watch San Antonio and Detroit play in the finals, but he said he's still haunted by season-ending defeats to the New York Knicks in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

O'Neal, who did not meet with reporters Tuesday, could opt out of the contract that calls for him to be paid $30.6 million next season, but it's unlikely that he'll will play for anyone other than the Heat next season.

"We almost got it done, but almost isn't good enough," O'Neal said Monday. "Next year we've got to start over. We've got to do a little more next year. I plan on being here next year. I plan on ending my career here. Next year we've got to start from square one and build and build and build and try to get it done."

Many players face uncertain futures, including Jones and Keyon Dooling, who both have player options for 2005-06; Udonis Haslem, a restricted free agent who may command more than what the Heat can pay him, although the Miami native has said he'd like to stay put; and Alonzo Mourning, who came back to chase a championship and may contemplate retiring.

Mourning may be leaning toward a return; his 8-year-old son Trey told him Tuesday morning that the Heat will do better next year because, as the boy put it, "you have everyone coming back."

"He said, 'I want you to play one more year,"' Mourning said. "And that means a lot to me."

Wade, who said he's looking forward to a break after two straight years of near-constant playing -- from college to his rookie year to the Olympics last summer and quickly back into the NBA grind -- is hopeful that Miami will keep building with much of its same core in 2005-06.

"You'll love these guys forever because of what we shared," Wade said. "And hopefully, there's great things to come for everybody who was on our team this season."