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I'm glad he's back!
The Pistons are screwed come playoff time...
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2822793
Wade returns to Heat practice
MIAMI -- Seeing Dwyane Wade drive toward him during a scrimmage Monday, Dorell Wright backed away, taking every precaution not to hit his superstar teammate's still-healing left shoulder.
Wade was not happy about that.
"Dorell is a great shot blocker. I saw him look at me and just jump out of the way," Wade said. "I told him, 'Ain't nothing wrong with my body.'"
Wade began trying to prove that Monday, when he returned to practice with the Miami Heat nearly six weeks after suffering the dislocation that threatened to end his season. He worked out on-court for 90 minutes, absorbing some contact for the first time, and followed that with weights and physical therapy.
Most importantly, he was pain-free, another sign he'll be able to start playing games before the playoffs.
"The fact that he's back practicing is huge," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "You go back to Feb. 23, it didn't look like there was going to be any of that stuff. So this is great."
Wade thought so, too.
The reigning NBA finals MVP was smiling and relaxed after his on-court work, even acknowledging that he may play in more regular-season contests than the "a game or two" plan he offered Sunday when announcing he'd return to practice.
For now, there is no timetable. Wade eventually will set one in consultation with the Heat medical staff and his physical therapist.
"Trust me," Wade said. "When I take the court, I'll be all right."
Miami (39-34) has nine games remaining in the regular season, one that'll be undoubtedly remembered for a plethora of injury woes. Heat players have missed 171 games this year with injuries, 66 of those by their best two weapons, Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, who've been together for only 13 starts all year.
Soon, that total will almost surely begin rising again, now that Wade's return is getting closer.
"Just happy to see him out there running and smiling," Heat guard Eddie Jones said. "I think it's a great thing to have guys together again."
Wade was averaging 28.8 points when he was hurt in a collision with Houston's Shane Battier on Feb. 21. The Heat are 13-7 since, are a half-game behind Washington in the Southeast Division and play a huge game against Toronto -- a team Miami is chasing for home-court advantage in the first playoff round -- on Tuesday.
Should Miami beat the Raptors, it'd hold the tiebreaker by winning the season series 2-1. Should Miami lose, the Heat would essentially fall four games (three in the standings, one more with the tiebreaker) behind Toronto with eight games left, meaning chances of earning home-court for Round 1 would be slim.
"It's a big game, there's no doubt," Riley said. "Our guys understand it. We know what it's about. ... It's all about positioning and seeding and home-court advantage. They know it's huge."
Wade won't play on Tuesday, but the defending NBA champions may get Jason Kapono back in the lineup.
Kapono, the NBA's leading 3-point shooter, hasn't played since spraining his left ankle against Atlanta on March 5. The team will decide his status after Tuesday morning's shootaround.
"I assume that I'm playing. I want to be out there," Kapono said. "Unless something happens from now until Tuesday night, which I don't see, I expect to be out there."
Wade is hoping to say the same soon. He'll travel with the Heat to Cleveland and Boston later this week so he can continue practicing and "learning the plays again," as he put it, and will continue rehabbing the shoulder daily to keep building strength.
"I haven't had a day off," Wade said.
Wade's biggest challenge right now, he said, is denying his risky instinct of reaching for every ball that he comes near defensively and instead using his feet to get into better position. But his explosiveness was still there on the offensive end, proven by the way he ended a 4-on-4 scrimmage with a strong dunk.
"He looked real good to me," Wright said. "He's got all the moves. Nothing's changed. He's probably just a little winded, I bet, sitting out that long. But he's been working hard every day, trying to get back."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Last edited by monosylab1k; 04-02-2007 at 04:54 PM.
I'm glad he's back!
What is this world coming to?
A mavs fan saying he's glad that WADE is back.
I want the Heat to make the finals. I want payback if the Mavs make it to the finals.What is this world coming to?
A mavs fan saying he's glad that WADE is back.
A first round series between Toronto/Miami could be interesting.
pistons lose games when wade's not in the lineup, they'll be fine...haha, j/k, pistons should be fine regardless of wade, the various members of their team seemed to have finally gotten over the flu
Screw Wade we will beat them with or without him. I am not so sure the heat will still be around for the pistons to play.
Well, I hope he's ok and not risking his career for this year. I'm scared of Lamar as well in the same regard. I still don't see them making too much noise come playoff time.
I thought this thread was about Kevin Willis.
I hope Wade is ok and will remain healthy. It will make the Heat much tougher, but at least there's no excuse either way. I think many of the Heat's role players played better without him, to be honest. It's somewhat a similar dilemma with LeBron and Kobe. Sometimes, the players are more comfortable without the superstar scorers because they know they'll actually touch the ball every once in a while on offense. Either way, with a relatively healthy Shaq, the Heat were going to be a factor. Good luck to Wade in staying healthy. And, I'm looking forward at the opportunity for the Pistons to face the Heat in the playoffs. It would be exciting.
Oh really?
I'd only post a thread about a player that matters.
And yeah, the Pistons are still obviously the class of the East right now. But this definitely makes their road to the Finals much tougher.
For some reason I'm still stupid enough to think that Chicago is gonna catch fire and make it in the East. Oh well.
I think it's gonna be tough regardless. CHI isn't an easy out for the Pistons. Neither are the Lebrons. MIA will have a tough time if they don't get 3rd seed though.
CHI/CLE in the 1st, and DET in the 2nd
It's looking likely that they get it though w/ Caron Butler breaking his hand WAS's done, and TOR having some injuries as well.
I actually think CHI can take care of the Heat if they meet. Hinrich gives Wade nightmares. I wonder if anyone will actually hit Wade hard. I don't think any team in the East (except the Knicks who aren't in the PO) will. The Pistons like to touch foul
The only team i see giving Wade a beating is the Mavs if they meet at all.
Every team will and should test Wade's shoulder. He'll get some really hard fouls I'm sure...hopefully nobody will try anything flagrant.I think it's gonna be tough regardless. CHI isn't an easy out for the Pistons. Neither are the Lebrons. MIA will have a tough time if they don't get 3rd seed though.
CHI/CLE in the 1st, and DET in the 2nd
It's looking likely that they get it though w/ Caron Butler breaking his hand WAS's done, and TOR having some injuries as well.
I actually think CHI can take care of the Heat if they meet. Hinrich gives Wade nightmares. I wonder if anyone will actually hit Wade hard. I don't think any team in the East (except the Knicks who aren't in the PO) will. The Pistons like to touch foul
The only team i see giving Wade a beating is the Mavs if they meet at all.
Wade is going to get so many picks to test his shoulder it's not even funny.
I'm adopting the Heat as my favorite team in the East. I figure if the Mavs make it back to the Finals, what better team to meet up with?
picks? Just knock his ass to the floor, he's the fool that didn't want surgery.
automatic suspension
Heat with Wade>>>Pistons.
exactly, if anybody tries to put a hard foul on wade they might get brought up on assault charges...
automatic win
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