2002–03 Miami Heat season

The 2002–03 NBA season was the fifteenth season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association.^[1] The Heat had the tenth pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected Caron Butler from the University of Connecticut.^[2][3][4] With the continued effects of his kidney ailment, Alonzo Mourning was forced to sit out the entire season.^[5] Without their star center, the Heat struggled losing 17 of their first 22 games. They would win seven of their next nine games, but then lose six straight along the way. The Heat finished last place in the Atlantic Division with a 25–57 record, their worst since the 1990–91 season.^[6]

2002–03 Miami Heat season
Head coach	Pat Riley
General manager	Randy Pfund
President	Pat Riley
Owner(s)	Micky Arison
Arena	American Airlines Arena
Results
Record	25–57 (.305)
Place	Division: 7th (Atlantic) Conference: 13th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	Sunshine Network WBFS WFOR
Radio	WIOD
< 2001–02 2003–04 >

Scoring leader Eddie Jones was out for the remainder of the season with a groin injury after 47 games, and head coach Pat Riley was fined several times for lashing out referees following games. The only bright spot on the team was Butler, who averaged 15.4 points per game while being selected to the All-Rookie First Team.^[7] Following the season, Mourning would sign as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets,^[8] and LaPhonso Ellis retired.

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 2002 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	10	Caron Butler	SF	United States	Connecticut
2	52	Rasual Butler	SG/SF	United States	La Salle

Roster

2002–03 Miami Heat roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F 35 Allen, Malik 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1978-06-27 Villanova G 1 Best, Travis 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 182 lb (83 kg) 1972-07-12 Georgia Tech G/F 4 Butler, Caron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 1980-03-13 Connecticut G/F 45 Butler, Rasual 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1979-06-23 La Salle G 25 Carter, Anthony 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1975-06-16 Hawaiʻi F 3 Ellis, LaPhonso 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970-05-05 Notre Dame F/C 44 Grant, Brian 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 254 lb (115 kg) 1972-03-05 Xavier G 5 House, Eddie 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1978-05-14 Arizona State G 7 James, Mike 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 188 lb (85 kg) 1975-06-23 Duquesne C 54 Johnson, Ken 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1978-02-01 Ohio State G/F 6 Jones, Eddie 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1971-10-20 Temple F 21 Lampley, Sean 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 227 lb (103 kg) 1979-09-03 California F/C 22 Marks, Sean 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1975-08-23 California C 33 Mourning, Alonzo 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970-02-08 Georgetown C 50 Stepania, Vladimir 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 236 lb (107 kg) 1976-05-08 Republic of Georgia

Head coach Pat Riley Assistant coach(es) Keith Askins Bill Foran Bob McAdoo Erik Spoelstra Stan Van Gundy Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: September 5, 2002

Roster Notes

• Center Alonzo Mourning missed the entire season due to a kidney transplant.

Regular season

Atlantic Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-New Jersey Nets	49	33	.598	–	33–8	16–25	16–8
x-Philadelphia 76ers	48	34	.585	1	25–16	23–18	17–7
x-Boston Celtics	44	38	.537	5	25–16	19–22	13–12
x-Orlando Magic	42	40	.512	7	26–15	16–25	14–11
Washington Wizards	37	45	.451	12	23–18	14–27	11–13
New York Knicks	37	45	.451	12	24–17	13–28	9–15
Miami Heat	25	57	.305	24	16–25	9–32	5–19

#	Eastern Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Detroit Pistons	50	32	.610	–
2	y-New Jersey Nets	49	33	.598	1
3	x-Indiana Pacers	48	34	.585	2
4	x-Philadelphia 76ers	48	34	.585	2
5	x-New Orleans Hornets	47	35	.573	3
6	x-Boston Celtics	44	38	.537	6
7	x-Milwaukee Bucks	42	40	.512	8
8	x-Orlando Magic	42	40	.512	8
9	New York Knicks	37	45	.451	13
10	Washington Wizards	37	45	.451	13
11	Atlanta Hawks	35	47	.427	15
12	Chicago Bulls	30	52	.366	20
13	Miami Heat	25	57	.305	25
14	Toronto Raptors	24	58	.293	26
15	Cleveland Cavaliers	17	65	.207	33

Record vs. opponents

2002-03 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NOH	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	0–3	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–2
Boston	3–0	–	2–2	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–2	2–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	3–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–3
Chicago	2–2	2–2	–	3–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–3
Cleveland	0–4	0–4	1–3	–	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–2	0–4	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–4
Dallas	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	–	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Denver	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	–	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–4	1–1
Detroit	3–1	2–2	4–0	4–0	0–2	2–0	–	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–0	3–1
Golden State	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	1–1	–	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Houston	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	0–2	3–1	–	1–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–3	1–1
Indiana	2–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	0–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–2	3–1	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–2
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–4	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	–	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	–	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–1
Memphis	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	0–4	–	2–0	2–0	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Miami	3–1	2–2	2–1	2–1	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	–	1–3	1–1	0–4	0–4	2–2	0–4	0–4	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	0–2	1–3
Milwaukee	2–2	2–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	–	0–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–1
Minnesota	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	–	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–0
New Jersey	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	–	2–2	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	3–1
New Orleans	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	–	3–1	1–3	2–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	4–0	2–0	2–1
New York	3–1	0–4	1–2	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	1–3	–	2–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	2–2
Orlando	1–2	2–3	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–2	1–1	0–2	1–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	–	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–2
Philadelphia	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–2	1–1	3–1	1–2	2–2	2–2	–	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–0	1–1	4–0
Phoenix	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	–	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Portland	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–3	–	1–3	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–3	1–1
Sacramento	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	–	1–3	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–0
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	–	3–1	2–0	4–0	1–1
Seattle	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–4	1–3	1–3	–	2–0	2–2	1–1
Toronto	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	1–1	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	0–2	3–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	–	1–1
Washington	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–2	0–2	1–3	1–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	—

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player	POS	GP	GS	MP	REB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS	MPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Brian Grant	C	82	82	2,641	837	104	63	47	846	32.2	10.2	1.3	.8	.6	10.3
Malik Allen	PF	80	73	2,318	425	54	37	78	767	29.0	5.3	.7	.5	1.0	9.6
Vladimir Stepania	C	79	6	1,594	554	24	45	40	441	20.2	7.0	.3	.6	.5	5.6
Caron Butler	SF	78	78	2,858	397	213	137	31	1,201	36.6	5.1	2.7	1.8	.4	15.4
Mike James	PG	78	8	1,722	149	246	64	5	607	22.1	1.9	3.2	.8	.1	7.8
Travis Best	PG	72	52	1,807	147	255	44	7	603	25.1	2.0	3.5	.6	.1	8.4
Rasual Butler	SG	72	28	1,514	186	93	21	43	540	21.0	2.6	1.3	.3	.6	7.5
Eddie House	SG	55	7	1,025	101	87	44	1	411	18.6	1.8	1.6	.8	.0	7.5
LaPhonso Ellis	PF	55	3	784	157	15	15	15	277	14.3	2.9	.3	.3	.3	5.0
Anthony Carter	PG	49	26	912	83	203	45	5	199	18.6	1.7	4.1	.9	.1	4.1
Eddie Jones	SG	47	47	1,789	226	173	64	31	869	38.1	4.8	3.7	1.4	.7	18.5
Sean Lampley	SF	35	0	487	83	31	7	3	169	13.9	2.4	.9	.2	.1	4.8
Sean Marks	PF	23	0	223	35	3	5	6	54	9.7	1.5	.1	.2	.3	2.3
Ken Johnson	C	16	0	156	32	0	1	12	32	9.8	2.0	.0	.1	.8	2.0

Awards and records

Caron Butler, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team

References

1. 2002-03 Miami Heat
2. Passan, Jeff (June 27, 2002). "Rockets Select Yao No. 1 Overall in Draft". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
3. Smith, Sam (October 30, 2002). "Eastern Conference Capsules". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
4. "2002 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
5. "PRO BASKETBALL; Kidney Ailment Has Mourning Out Indefinitely". The New York Times. September 13, 2002. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
6. "2002–03 Miami Heat Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
7. "2002–03 Miami Heat Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
8. Robbins, Liz (July 17, 2003). "PRO BASKETBALL; 'Excited' Mourning Introduced by Nets". The New York Times. Retrieved July 15, 2022.