Prior to teaming up with Chris Bosh and LeBron James Dwyane Wade was everything to the Miami Heat. The Future Hall of Famer brought them a championship in 2006, and has been one of the top five players in the NBA for majority of his career. Pat Riley and D.Wade were the brains behind bringing in LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form this super team. Four years in to playing with this version of the Heat they are aiming to make their fourth finals appearance and winning a third championship ring.
Each year gets tougher to repeat as a champion. Other teams improve, and then you have to deal with the mental aspect of repeating as champions, and the physical toll it takes on a player’s body to play deep into the postseason for consecutive years.
In Dwyane Wade’s case he isn’t “Flash” in 2006, but he shows flashes of being flash (word to Jalen Rose). I often joke that Wade has the best part time job in the world, but when looking at the big picture it’s the perfect plan the way the Heat are managing Wade’s minutes and games played. Wade knew that his body couldn’t take a pounding year after year, so he recruited James to do the heavier lifting. It was very unselfish, and masterful that Wade took a back seat to LBJ. When you are playing with the best player in the world, you have no choice but to step back.
A lot of players of Wade’s stature wouldn’t have taken a step back. I call Wade the mastermind, because he sees the big picture. By Wade taking the backseat to LBJ he can enhance his legacy by winning more rings and brand by being unselfish and having no problem with being the best player on the Heatles. This season Wade may have taken a vacation or two during the season to the Bahamas, but when he’s been on the court he’s been highly efficient. Wade is averaging 18.4ppg, 5 rpg, and 5 apg, and is shooting 54%. On paper the numbers may be lower than usual, but the impact is there when he plays. If Wade can duplicate those numbers or even improve slightly in the playoffs the Heat will ride off into the sunset with a three-peat.
The Miami Heat team is a veteran group and can win under any circumstance so it doesn’t make sense for them to run out of gas during the regular season trying to win the No.1 seed in the Eastern Conference. They’ve proven that they can win tough games on the road in the playoffs, and as of now health is more important than anything. Looking at the standings the Heat are 2.5 games behind the Pacers. I’m no math major, but Dwyane Wade has missed fifteen games, and the Heat is only 2.5 games back. I can bet you that the Heat would have a convincing lead over the Pacers if “Flashes” played more games.
Dwyane Wade knows that his health is not what it was once when he was 25, and he knows that the regular season doesn’t crown anyone. Wade may clock in when wants to during the regular season, but when April comes he knows that it’s time to chase another ring, and I am pretty sure that he will be more than ready when the time comes.
I think it’s gonna be tough to repeat, but this is the perfect plan they only need Wade for the playoffs. I’ve told everyone they have been coasting and even gotten into a few Bron doesn’t have any help arguments lol.
In the Words of Ric Flair “To be the champion to you gotta beat the champion” in the playoffs and nobody trusts Hill and Watson , they better sign Miller I’m schleep .