Wade warms up to latest challenge
MIAMI — It might have been the early-morning hot yoga that preceded Monday’s shootaround. Or it might be a body only now coming around to the rigors of a 16th NBA season after initial uncertainty about this Miami Heat return.
No matter the reason, it appears that Dwyane Wade is warming up to this challenge at hand, as sixth-man spark for a team still finding its way.
Monday night there not only were 18 points in the 120-115 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons that snapped a threegame losing streak, but also three dunks, after entering with just one over the season’s first eight games.
“I think it was the yoga,” Wade, 36, said of the added bounce that had him reflecting on his dunks after the game with fellow 16th-season teammate Udonis Haslem. “As UD said, it was fast breaks, so I should dunk ‘em. But, you know, just had an opportunity. I’m getting my legs under me now. I’ve definitely been feeling a lot better over the last week and a half, so I’m getting my legs back.”
Erik Spoelstra, who has consistently played Wade as sixth man, even amid a few early-season missteps, said the timing only was a matter of time.
“I love seeing this version of Dwyane over the years and how he’s evolved and how much work he’s put in behind the scenes that nobody sees,” Spoelstra said, with a four-game homestand up next, starting Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs. “The fountain of youth is a bunch of work, a bunch of sweat, a bunch of pushing your body to exhaustion when nobody is watching, just to keep that edge.
“He had a big time workout [Monday], yoga and working out before our shootaround. And our shootarounds aren’t the easiest. But he’s found the fountain of youth, and he’ll continue to get younger because of that work ethic.”
Almost not: Spoelstra admitted he was trying to call timeout during the play in Monday’s overtime when Goran Dragic, from an almost unfathomable angle along the baseline, found Josh Richardson for a crucial 3-pointer.
“I’m glad I didn’t do what I was about to do,” Spoelstra said. “It was very similar to Toronto last year. I was at halfcourt, and I was about to call that timeout.
“But Goran dribbled through and made one heck of a pass to J-Rich. Those moments when you have nothing else do but shoot, J-Rich just stepped up with a ton of confidence and knocked in a big one.”
Dragic returned after missing Saturday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks with foot pain.
“That’s why Goran is an All-Star,” Spoelstra said. “You can bank on what he does no matter how many games he’s been out, what he’s been doing, what happened the game before.
“He’s one of the most reliable, consistent players in this league. It’s why he’s an All-Star; it’s why we like him so much. Consistency is a talent. It’s a talent in this league. Few have it. He does.”
Duo thriving: The Heat’s two-way players, undrafted forwards Yante Maten and Duncan Robinson, have gotten off to strong starts in the G League, with the Heat’s affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Maten closed with 34 points, 12 rebounds and three steals in Monday’s 126-125 home victory over the Memphis Hustle, with Robinson adding 29 points, shooting 7 of 12 on 3-pointers, as the Skyforce improved to 3-0.