Feb/060
The A-mazing Wade
Victor Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images
As if South Florida fans needed yet another reason to love our own MJ superstar Dwyane Wade he comes up with another mind boggling performace to help your Miami Heat squeek past the top team in the league, The Deeeeeeetroit Basketballlll Pistons. I think Greg Anthony’s commentary on the game and the Heat’s status was summed up nicely in his Daily Dime for Monday February 13.
Heat feat, Grade A Wade
By Greg Anthony
ESPN Insider
When Dwyane Wade scored the Miami Heat’s 17 final points, capping a dominant 37-point performance Sunday that rallied his team past the Detroit Pistons, 100-98, the win did much more than merely demonstrate how good he is. The team effort Miami showed was the real eye opener. It was exactly what it needs to compete with the NBA’s top teams. That’s the best 48 minutes of effort that I’ve seen from the Heat this year.
And it’s the blueprint for the rest of the season.
The Heat already knew they had a special player in Wade. There were other pressing questions that needed answers, effort and defense among them, especially coming off the embarrassment of a 36-point loss to Dallas on Feb. 9.
Fifty-one games into the season, this Miami team is still adjusting to the new parts around Shaquille O’Neal and Wade, and still finding ways to deal with adversity in ways that San Antonio and Detroit, as cohesive, veteran teams, have long ago learned to handle.
What the Heat should learn from this Sunday: defense can carry you. There’s going to be nights when either Shaq or Wade aren’t on, and those are the nights you need to rely on the defense. Shaq was on, and he set the tone early, finishing with a season-high 31 points.
Heat guard Gary Payton, fitting Miami on this night like a comfortable Glove, was exceptional offensively and defensively. Even though Chauncey Billups (29 points, 10 assists) played well, he really only did damage from the perimeter when Payton was on him in the second half.
This is the way Heat coach Pat Riley wants his team playing — with pride, especially after the embarrassment in Dallas. This was a must-win game for the Heat. I don’t care what anybody says — you lose this one, and it will hurt you.
Riley was reported to be dancing to the Doobie Bros. before the game. That’s Riley, one of great motivators. Like Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, he knows when to push, and when to pull. Count the dancing as a light-hearted pull for a team under pressure.
On this team, he has a lot of veteran guys. Even those kind of players need to be coached. A big part of coaching is motivating. That’s where Riley can take them higher.
Detroit, which executed very well and still lost, will likely have more respect for the Heat now. Psychologically, the Pistons’ certainty of their ability to handle the Heat can no longer be absolute. Even when the Pistons made 11 of 20 3-pointers while the Heat finished 1-for-12, Miami still had enough to win. When the Shaq-Wade combo leads the way, it’s tough to beat.
The Heat came into the game 0-7 against the top three teams (Detroit, San Antonio and Dallas). In none of those losses did both Shaq and Wade have a standout game.
But this eighth time had a different finish, with Wade sinking a shot with 2.3 seconds left over the long arms of Tayshaun Prince.
So now, the two teams sit 1-1 on the regular season, with Detroit having earned a 106-101 win on Dec. 29. Next is a March 22 date in Detroit, followed by April 6 game in Miami.
And if Miami follows its blueprint, that April game likely won’t be their last this season.
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Call me a blind homer but I tend to agree.
See you in April Detroit!
-JD
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