GoFuckYourself.com - Adult Webmaster Forum - View Single Post - BONEPRONE LOCK: HEAT dont have a chance tomorrow.. BET THE HOUSE on The Pistons..

JJ Gold · 06-06-2005, 11:02 AM

By Chris Perkins

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, June 06, 2005

MIAMI ? Heat guard Dwyane Wade will play in tonight's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit, according to his father.

"I don't care if he's not 100 percent; even if he's only 30 percent, he will contribute," Dwyane Wade Sr. said Sunday. "My word on it. He will play."

The Heat didn't practice Sunday, and neither Wade nor coach Stan Van Gundy was available for comment.

But according to Wade Sr., there's virtually no chance Wade, who sustained strained right rib muscles in Game 5, will miss the biggest game in Heat history and the biggest game of Wade's life.

"He definitely will be in Game 7," Wade Sr. said. "I'm positive. That's my son; shouldn't I know?"

With the dynamic Wade in the lineup, even at less than 100 percent healthy, the Heat has a decent chance to win tonight's game at AmericanAirlines Arena and earn its first berth in the NBA Finals.

Without Wade, the team's leading scorer in the regular season and playoffs, the Heat may have a tough time getting past the defending NBA champions. Miami's 91-66 Game 6 loss Saturday showed as much.

"Based on their performance the other night, they need him," former Pistons coach Chuck Daly said.

There's a lot of pressure on the 23-year-old Wade to play and play well, despite his painful injury.

"Miami is on his shoulders," former Heat guard Tim Hardaway said. "The Heat players, the organization, the city, everything's on his shoulders."

The Heat's medical staff made the decision to hold Wade out of Game 6 shortly before tip-off Saturday. Wade winced as he went through pre-game drills.

"He wanted to play," Wade Sr. said. "I truly thought he might come out dressed at halftime. But he was hurt for real."

And shortly after tip-off tonight, he could be hurting worse.

Daly, who guided the "Bad Boys" Pistons to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990, said Detroit will test Wade immediately.

"You post him up right away," Daly said. "You find out what he's made of."

Heat spokesman Tim Donovan said that if Wade does play, he will wear a protective vest.

Wade has played with a variety of injuries in his two-year NBA career, but this one presents the biggest challenge not only because it makes breathing painful, but also because of what's at stake.

"With the kind of injury he has it's going to be especially tough because you're dealing with a guy who is a contortionist going to the basket," said Doug Collins, the former NBA coach who is now a TNT analyst.

Tonight's game could wipe away years of playoff frustration for the Heat.

There were three heartbreaking losses to the New York Knicks. There was the hopelessness of losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in the 1997 Eastern Conference finals. There was the embarrassing sweep to Charlotte in 2001.

The Heat was hapless in Game 6 without Wade. It struggled to get the ball to center Shaquille O'Neal. It committed 19 turnovers, which the Pistons turned into 25 points. It scored just 66 points, an all-time post-season low for the franchise.

O'Neal, still recovering from a bruised right thigh that caused him to miss two playoff games, had 24 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6, but no one knows if he can get the Heat to the NBA Finals without Wade.

"If he has 30 points and 20 to 25 rebounds without Dwayne Wade, the Heat wins," Hardaway said.

The Heat will need swingman Eddie Jones, guard Damon Jones and forward Udonis Haslem to pick up the slack for Wade. It will also need its bench players ? primarily guard Keyon Dooling and center Alonzo Mourning ? to have big games.

Mostly the Heat will depend on Wade and his ability to play effectively with pain and carry his team the way other NBA superstars have done.

"It'd be great if he could do it," Hardaway said. "We'll see. Hopefully, he can."

06-06-2005, 11:02 AM
JJ Gold Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,969	Wade's father says his son 'definitely' will play By Chris Perkins Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Monday, June 06, 2005 MIAMI ? Heat guard Dwyane Wade will play in tonight's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit, according to his father. "I don't care if he's not 100 percent; even if he's only 30 percent, he will contribute," Dwyane Wade Sr. said Sunday. "My word on it. He will play." The Heat didn't practice Sunday, and neither Wade nor coach Stan Van Gundy was available for comment. But according to Wade Sr., there's virtually no chance Wade, who sustained strained right rib muscles in Game 5, will miss the biggest game in Heat history and the biggest game of Wade's life. "He definitely will be in Game 7," Wade Sr. said. "I'm positive. That's my son; shouldn't I know?" With the dynamic Wade in the lineup, even at less than 100 percent healthy, the Heat has a decent chance to win tonight's game at AmericanAirlines Arena and earn its first berth in the NBA Finals. Without Wade, the team's leading scorer in the regular season and playoffs, the Heat may have a tough time getting past the defending NBA champions. Miami's 91-66 Game 6 loss Saturday showed as much. "Based on their performance the other night, they need him," former Pistons coach Chuck Daly said. There's a lot of pressure on the 23-year-old Wade to play and play well, despite his painful injury. "Miami is on his shoulders," former Heat guard Tim Hardaway said. "The Heat players, the organization, the city, everything's on his shoulders." The Heat's medical staff made the decision to hold Wade out of Game 6 shortly before tip-off Saturday. Wade winced as he went through pre-game drills. "He wanted to play," Wade Sr. said. "I truly thought he might come out dressed at halftime. But he was hurt for real." And shortly after tip-off tonight, he could be hurting worse. Daly, who guided the "Bad Boys" Pistons to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990, said Detroit will test Wade immediately. "You post him up right away," Daly said. "You find out what he's made of." Heat spokesman Tim Donovan said that if Wade does play, he will wear a protective vest. Wade has played with a variety of injuries in his two-year NBA career, but this one presents the biggest challenge not only because it makes breathing painful, but also because of what's at stake. "With the kind of injury he has it's going to be especially tough because you're dealing with a guy who is a contortionist going to the basket," said Doug Collins, the former NBA coach who is now a TNT analyst. Tonight's game could wipe away years of playoff frustration for the Heat. There were three heartbreaking losses to the New York Knicks. There was the hopelessness of losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in the 1997 Eastern Conference finals. There was the embarrassing sweep to Charlotte in 2001. The Heat was hapless in Game 6 without Wade. It struggled to get the ball to center Shaquille O'Neal. It committed 19 turnovers, which the Pistons turned into 25 points. It scored just 66 points, an all-time post-season low for the franchise. O'Neal, still recovering from a bruised right thigh that caused him to miss two playoff games, had 24 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6, but no one knows if he can get the Heat to the NBA Finals without Wade. "If he has 30 points and 20 to 25 rebounds without Dwayne Wade, the Heat wins," Hardaway said. The Heat will need swingman Eddie Jones, guard Damon Jones and forward Udonis Haslem to pick up the slack for Wade. It will also need its bench players ? primarily guard Keyon Dooling and center Alonzo Mourning ? to have big games. Mostly the Heat will depend on Wade and his ability to play effectively with pain and carry his team the way other NBA superstars have done. "It'd be great if he could do it," Hardaway said. "We'll see. Hopefully, he can."