NBA -- Morningstar Waived By Mavericks

DALLAS - Darren Morningstar, a 6-foot-10 center who started the first 15 games of this season for Dallas, has been waived by the Mavericks to clear room on the NBA team's roster for two players ready to return from injuries.

Terry Davis is recovering from elbow problems suffered in an off-season auto accident, and Randy White is almost rehabilitated from a knee injury. Both are on the injured list, leaving Dallas with 11 players.

"With Terry and Randy coming along in their rehabilitation, Darren did not fit into our long-range plans," Rick Sund, Dallas' vice president of basketball operations, said yesterday. "Waiving him now gives him a better opportunity to catch on with another team."

Morningstar, who played high-school basketball at Stevenson in southwest Washington, averaged 4.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.5 minutes over 22 games. He was a second-round pick by Boston in 1992 from the University of Pittsburgh and signed with Dallas as a free agent in October.

Miami catching heat

MIAMI - Underprivileged children from the Washington Park neighborhood in suburban Hollywood are just a little upset at the Miami Heat.

They expected about 100 complimentary tickets to Tuesday's Heat game and another 50 tickets to tonight's game at Miami Arena. But the Heat sold almost all the tickets after receiving a call from a group of Nebraska football fans in town for the New Year's Day Orange Bowl game against Florida State.

Notes

-- Indiana Pacer Coach Larry Brown was fined $3,000 by Rod Thorn, NBA vice president of operations, for verbally abusing referees after the Pacers-Cleveland Cavaliers game Sunday. Indiana lost the game 107-103 in overtime.

-- Sacramento's Bobby Hurley might not require surgery on his right knee despite a torn ligament suffered when he was injured in a recent car-truck accident.