As Goes Franchise Player . . .

For the Miami Heat, the lesson was painfully clear: The team is not as good with Alonzo Mourning watching from the locker-room tunnel on crutches.

Mourning assumed that position Friday after tearing a tendon in his right foot against the Portland Trail Blazers. The All-Star center is expected to be sidelined about six weeks.

To underscore the significance of Mourning’s departure in the third quarter, Portland rallied from an 11-point deficit to win, 114-110, ending Miami’s team-record 11-game winning streak.

The diagnosis was confirmed by tests Saturday. Mourning will be in a cast for five to seven days, then be reevaluated.

“It’s unfortunate,” Heat guard Voshon Lenard said. “He’s our franchise player, and he has carried us this season. It’s going to be a big hit for us.”

If the six-week estimate is accurate, Miami’s leading scorer and rebounder would sit out 19 games and return for the final two weeks of the regular season.

The Heat enters today’s game against Denver with the NBA’s second-best record (41-13).

“Going out early in the season and playing well on the road and winning, you develop a cushion,” Coach Pat Riley said. “We’ve got to be able to absorb this hit and use what we have in the bank.”

The injury ensures a prominent role for Jamal Mashburn only one week after he joined the Heat in a trade. With no Mourning, the 6-foot-8 Mashburn becomes the best inside threat.