Wade putting in extra work to meet conditioning standards
NEW ORLEANS Dwyane Wade has not been able to avoid the calipers during this second chapter with the Miami Heat. He expected nothing less — even as the Heat do.
“I’ve had it twice already since I’ve been here,” Wade said of the Heat’s renown body-fat measurements. “But it’s a part of what I need on this team, especially as we get down the stretch. I want to get in better shape to be able to do more things on the floor and I got to get into the shape of this team.
“It’s a lot of extra work not only that I’m doing. But I see a lot of the guys that have been here that continue to keep doing it. [James Johnson] continues to keep doing it, a lot of guys. It’s just a part of the culture and no one is above that.”
Both Wade and Heat President Pat Riley acknowledged upon Wade’s addition two weeks ago that the 36-year-old guard would need to take another step with his conditioning, after spending last season with the Chicago Bulls and the start of this season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“It’s been a very different training regimen,” Wade said of his season and a half away, after spending his first 13 NBA seasons with the Heat. “For me, it’s been like training camp all over again. I’m probably as sore as I’ve been all year.
“First of all, the style of play is different. I’m coming from a different system to a system that is way different. So it’s more body movement for each player on the team, which is a little different than where I come from with my role.”
It used to be that former Heat conditioning coach Bill Foran would be the one reminding Wade of his body-fat measurements. Now it is Foran’s son, Eric Foran, who has taken over in that role. To Wade, it’s all about Heat family.
“Miami has its way,” he said before Friday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. “It has its way of cutting body fat or cutting weight and all these things — the extra work that you got to do to get down to that.
“I haven’t had to do that since I left. I haven’t gotten on a scale, really. So it’s a little different mentality. It’s good for you, but you got to get there.”
About the only lack of familiarity for Wade has been the newcomers to the roster since he last was with the team.
“It’s all communication outside of practicing with each other and us going through sets together and things like that,” he said. “I try to communicate with them a lot. A lot of times, it’s learning a guy away from the game of basketball that helps even more with trust.
“On the court, I’ve seen these guys play for a while, so I kind of know their strengths. But it’s getting to know each other personally. It’s talking through stuff defensively, offensively, just communicating together.”
No Olynyk
Kelly Olynyk went through the morning shootaround Friday but was held out for a fifth consecutive game due to a strained left shoulder. The Heat next play Saturday night against the Memphis Grizzlies at American-Airlines Arena, before a two-day break.
“He’s not ready to play, but he’s progressing. He’s getting better — still not full contact,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.
“It’ll heal on its own time. He is getting better. He’s making progress. He’s getting ready to play. As long as he’s getting better, that’s a good sign for me.”
The Heat have not made Olynyk available for comment since he injured the shoulder in the Feb. 5 home loss to the Orlando Magic.
The Heat were without assistant coach Dan Craig for Friday’s game, following the Thursday birth of his second son, William (Will) Patrick (7 pounds, 15 ounces; 21 inches).
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