HoopWatch

Miami Heat superstar guard Dwyane Wade made a believer out of me.

As I was waiting for my car getting fixed at a local shop, I turned on the TV and the Cleveland-Miami game popped on the screen. I was a disinterested spectator at first, excitingly anticipating my Suns play the Spurs. Naturally, as it has most been all season, the Heat were playing catch-up, being behind by double-digits most of the game, the largest at 12.

Then came the fourth quarter, the Heat suddenly abandoned their set plays especially at the five minute mark, when All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal fouled out. I thought the game was over for Miami because Shaq just draws so much attention. He was constantly double-teamed that he freed up his other teammates a lot. That kept them in the game.

Anyway, Miami’s interim coach Ron Rothstein made the best decision. He totally abandoned the playbook, and drew the same play all night. I believe the play was – “Give the ball to Wade, and stay out of his way.”

Wade crashed the hoop, burned every defender the Cavs threw at him and getting fouls. He relentlessly drove to the basket, outscoring Cleveland by his lonesome, 24-23, in that final canto. That was a franchise-record. He also went to the line 24 times, another team-record. Miami went on to win from behind, 92-89.

I always thought that the reason the Heat became NBA Champs last season was due to the fact that they have Shaq at the middle, and that Wade was another Kobe Bryant for Shaq. He is another side-kick who mostly benefits from Shaq’s imposing presence.

But that game reminded me that Wade was phenomenal in last year’s Finals. That the Heat became champions not because of Shaq, but because of the Jordanesque-like game of D-Wade.

They may still be ninth in the East, behind the also-struggling New Jersey Nets. But make no mistake, the playoffs will be a different story. Even if they will be just the eighth seed, that would be no hindrance to their title defense. With a healthy line-up come play-off time, a strong and able-bodied Shaq and Jason Williams will make a difference. Add to that the acquisition of Eddie Jones, the veteran pride of Gary Payton, Antoine Walker and Alonzo Mourning, and the new-found shooting of Jason Kapono (leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage), Miami will be a force to reckon with in the postseason no matter who their opponent will be. They may repeat. They want to repeat!

Washington, Cleveland and Detroit, you may top the East right now, but beware! For Dwyane Wade stands in your way.