Ex-agent: Anthony Mason improving

NEW YORK -- Anthony Mason has made "small, but real" progress the last two nights after being "near death" Wednesday, his former agent said.

"He isn't out of the woods, but he's had two good nights," Don Cronson, Mason's agent during his playing days, said by phone Friday night.

Mason has undergone multiple surgeries in recent days after suffering what Cronson called a "congestive heart failure."

Cronson said he's received updates from Mason's family.

"It seems like he's day-to-day now. Before it was hour-to-hour," Cronson said. "Thankfully, the last two days have been better."

Mason played 13 seasons in the NBA and was a fan favorite during his five-year tenure with the New York Knicks.

The 6-foot-7 forward teamed with Charles Oakley, Patrick Ewing and John Starks to help lead the Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1994.

Mason won the NBA's Sixth Man Award in 1994-95. His rugged play epitomized the nature of coach Pat Riley's Knicks teams. Later in his career, Mason was reunited with Riley while playing for the Miami Heat. He was named to his one and only All-Star team in 2001 with the Heat and finished his career with the Milwaukee Bucks.