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Dwyane Wade Archives January 2009
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Dwyane Wade Archives
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January 2009
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DWYANE WADE LOSES TO MAVERICKS BUT HONORED AT HALFTIME
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January 31, 2009
- Once again, with no championship at stake, the Miami Heat simply couldn't beat the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki
scored 30 points on 12-for-14 shooting, Jason Terry scored 20 and Jason Kidd finished with 11 assists as the Mavericks
beat the Heat for the ninth straight time in the regular season, 111-96 on Saturday night. The Mavericks shot a season-best
60 percent against a Heat team that came in allowing a 44 percent clip this season. And yes, both Nowitzki and Terry
acknowledged that the return to Miami conjured up memories of the 2006 NBA finals, when the Heat captured the title in
six games. "As long as that banner is hanging up there, you're always going to think about that,'' Terry said. Dwyane Wade
scored 30 points for Miami, which lost for the second straight night. Wade was honored at halftime, along with Tim Hardaway
and Alonzo Mourning, for winning Olympic gold. Banners in their honor were uncovered next to the one commemorating the 2006
NBA title. But there was no magic to be had: The Heat still haven't beaten Dallas in a regular season game since March 26, 2004.
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"They wouldn't miss,'' Wade said. "Our best game would have had trouble winning tonight.'' Michael Beasley finished
with 18 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which also got 17 points from Mario Chalmers and 10 from Udonis Haslem.
Josh Howard finished with 15, while Jose Barea and Brandon Bass each added 11 for the Mavericks. Dallas shot better
than 50 percent in only seven of its first 45 games this season, but knocked down a dizzying array of shots, regardless
of whether its players were covered or left wide open. And the Mavericks used a 16-5 run, going 6-for-7 from the floor
during the stretch, to put the game away midway through the second half. Wade hit a jumper to get Miami within 75-65,
but any comeback thoughts quickly were stomped out by Dallas. Terry had six points in the game-sealing spurt, including
a jumper with 10:43 left that gave the Mavs what was their biggest lead to that point, 91-70. "That was one heck of a
shooting display they put on,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "That looked like a highly motivated, inspired, veteran
team that knew what they were playing for. It wasn't necessarily to beat us. They came out with an incredible, desperate
energy and a focus offensively. They were playing at a different speed than we were.''
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DWYANE WADE PHOTOS
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MIAMI HEAT VS. DALLAS MAVERICKS
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Adding injury to insult, Heat guard Daequan Cook limped into the locker room with 4:05 left, suffering a left thigh injury
after a hit from Dallas' James Singleton. Cook left the arena on crutches, unable to put weight on his leg. Miami led only
once, and it was for a mere 17 seconds of the opening quarter. Other than that, Dallas did whatever it wanted, with Kidd
slicing through the Heat defense off the dribble time and again, setting up teammates for easy layups or open looks from
the outside. Down by nine after the first quarter, Miami tried to rally with a 34-point outburst in the second. Problem was,
that only shaved one point off Dallas' lead, since the Mavericks shot 77 percent - 13-for-17 - in the period, with Nowitzki
making all four of his attempts to finish a 7-for-8, 17-point first-half effort. "I was right there with him on every shot,''
Haslem said. "I give credit to him. If they can shoot the ball like that, they're going to be tough to beat.'' Wade scored to
open the second half and get Miami within six, but the Heat got no closer. Nowitzki made a 3-pointer early in the third to
push Dallas' lead back to 12, and the Mavs held the double-digit cushion for the game's final 20 minutes. - NBA.com
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DWYANE WADE CAN'T KEEP PACE WITH INDIANA
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January 30, 2009
- Danny Granger's partner is back. Mike Dunleavy scored a season-high 30 points, and the Indiana Pacers
beat the Miami Heat 114-103 on Friday night. Dunleavy, a leading candidate for the league's most improved
player award last season, missed the first 34 games this season with a sore right knee. He had struggled
with his shot since his return, but found his form against Miami. He was 10-for-18 from the floor, including
4-for-8 on 3-pointers. No one was happier to see it than Granger, a first-time All-Star who carried the scoring
load while Dunleavy was out. "When he shoots the ball like that, we're going to be hard to beat,'' Granger
said. "I sat on the bench and enjoyed.'' Dunleavy, in typically humble fashion, was critical of his best performance
of the season. "I still missed some easy ones that I normally make, but I'm getting there and it felt good to
see the ball go in,'' he said.
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Though Dunleavy's shot had been a bit off since his return, the respect opponents have for it remained unchanged.
As a result, Indiana's offense has run more smoothly since his comeback, and the team is 6-3 with him in the starting
lineup. "It's just a matter of time for Michael,'' Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said. "We missed a number of things
without him.'' Granger scored 19 points after missing Wednesday's game against Milwaukee with a sore right knee.
Troy Murphy also scored 19 points for the Pacers, and was 5-for-6 from 3-point range. It was Indiana's seventh
consecutive win at home, and its 13th straight regular-season home win over Miami. "We won these seven games in a
row, and we need to build some momentum and keep this streak going,'' Granger said. "If we can defend our home court
and steal a few on the road, we're right back in this playoff race.'' Dwyane Wade scored 24 points for the Heat, who
had their three-game winning streak snapped. Mark Blount scored 17 points, and Michael Beasley had 11 points and 11
rebounds for Miami.
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DWYANE WADE PHOTOS
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MIAMI HEAT VS. INDIANA PACERS
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Miami played without its top two rebounders for most of the game. Shawn Marion sat out with a left groin strain, and Udonis Haslem was
ejected after getting two technicals with 3:03 left in the first quarter. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said he felt the officals had a
"quick trigger,'' but said it was unacceptable for Haslem to get thrown out for arguing. "He had some words, and for a captain, that hurt,''
Spoelstra said. Wade said Haslem's ejection hurt, but not as much as Miami's approach to the game. "We knew how hard this game was going
to be,'' Wade said. "They play very well at home. They play well, period. We were aware of it, but we didn't act like we were aware of how
good they were.'' The Pacers shot 15-for-31 from 3-point range. "We stepped up and knocked them in,'' Dunleavy said. "We obviously moved
the ball very well and that's really the key - drive and kick and hit the open man. We have a lot of guys that can shoot it.'' - NBA.com
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DWYANE WADE ON THE VERGE OF A TRIPLE DOUBLE
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January 28, 2009
- Dwyane Wade knew he was on the cusp of a triple-double. He didn't mind getting a break instead. Wade had 14 points,
nine rebounds and nine assists before sitting out the entire fourth quarter, and the Miami Heat pulled away in the second
half to beat the Washington Wizards 93-71 on Wednesday night. "Anytime I can get rest, I'm fine,'' Wade said. Daequan
Cook and Michael Beasley each had 16 points for the Heat, who've won three straight, all against Southeast Division
rivals. Udonis Haslem scored 14 points, and James Jones and Mario Chalmers had 10 each for Miami, which closed the game
on a 44-21 run. It's the first time since March 2005 that Miami held consecutive opponents under 80 points. The Heat beat
Atlanta 95-79 on Monday night, and are a season-best six games over .500 (25-19). Miami's bench outscored Washington's
reserves 50-14, and the Heat had a 26-2 edge in points off turnovers. "Our activity level was consistent pretty much the
whole way through,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "That's what we're looking for.''
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Antawn Jamison had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Washington, an NBA-worst 9-36. Caron Butler added 18 points, and Darius
Songalia had 10 for the Wizards. "We talked about playing with discipline and within our design,'' Wizards coach Ed Tapscott
said. "That's critical for us. ... And we held that, for a while.'' For a while, indeed. Washington controlled the pace
throughout the first half, holding the lead for 16:46 in the opening two quarters. Miami needed Wade to make a play just
to send them into halftime with the lead. He stripped the ball from Juan Dixon, dribbled upcourt and found Cook for a 3-pointer
with 18.1 seconds remaining until intermission, giving Miami a 41-39 edge at the break. It wasn't Wade's best offensive
night, nor did it have to be. The league's scoring leader was a mere 6-for-16 from the floor, finishing with the second-fewest
points in 44 games this season. But when Miami took command with a 21-6 run to end the third quarter, Wade was in the middle
of everything. "He impacted the game and he only had 14 points,'' Spoelstra said.
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DWYANE WADE PHOTOS
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MIAMI HEAT VS. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
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He had three points, two rebounds and two assists - including one setting Chalmers up for a 3-pointer to end what was
an 11-0 burst, giving Miami a 60-50 lead with 3:24 left. And he finished his night with a couple of highlight-reel
efforts. With 52 seconds left in the third, Wade made a steal while leaping out of bounds, flipping the ball to Beasley
at midcourt. Wade rejoined the play, took a pass back and - this time, while falling over the baseline, even taking
referee James Capers down with him - he lobbed the ball to Cook for a slam. "I saw Day-Day streaking, so as I tripped
over my own feet, I decided to throw it up there,'' said Wade, referring to Cook by his nickname. "He made it look good.''
It was reminiscent of another falling-down alley-oop pass by Wade: He pulled one off at the Beijing Olympics this past
summer, finding Kobe Bryant for a slam against Greece. "Oh, that was beautiful,'' Cook said. Then to end the period,
Chalmers slapped the ball upcourt to Wade, who collected it in time for a dunk that just beat the buzzer and put Miami
up 70-56 entering the fourth, the biggest Heat lead of the night to that point. - NBA.com
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DWYANE WADE TURNS UP THE HEAT ON HAWKS
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January 26, 2009
- Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat were far from perfect offensively. Fortunately for them, the Atlanta Hawks were worse.
Much, much worse. The NBA's leading scorer, Wade finished with 35 points on 13-for-19 shooting and the Heat held the Hawks
without a field goal for nearly 13 1/2 minutes during one first-half stretch, beating Atlanta 95-79 on Monday night. "An
important win, a good win,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We'll take that.'' Atlanta set a franchise-futility record
with its 27-point first half. Still, the Hawks got within seven points early in the final quarter before a quick 11-3 burst
fueled by Wade and Mario Chalmers sealed it for the Heat. "You want to have that mentality to put a team away and keep them
away,'' Wade said. "They came back ... but at the same time, I like the way we put them away after they made their run. The
NBA is about that. Teams make runs. So you've got to be prepared for it, and when it's your turn, be prepared to make one.''
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Daequan Cook scored 16 points and Chalmers added 12 points and six assists for Miami (24-19), which moved a season-best five
games over .500. Udonis Haslem had a game-high 13 rebounds. Miami had a season-high 12 blocked shots and allowed the Hawks
seven assists - the fewest by any Heat opponent this season. Joe Johnson scored 19 points for Atlanta. Marvin Williams added
17, Josh Smith had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Flip Murray finished with 14 points for the Hawks. "We just weren't playing
hard,'' Johnson acknowledged. One downside for Miami: Heat rookie Michael Beasley banged knees with Smith in the second quarter
and didn't return. The team called it a bruised left knee, and Miami's second-leading scorer this season spent the rest of the
game on the bench with a large icepack strapped to his leg. Per team policy, Beasley wears knee pads in practice but hasn't put
them on for games, something he says he'll change. "I didn't want to change my routine. Think I'm going to have to now,'' said
Beasley, who expects to play against Washington on Wednesday.
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DWYANE WADE PHOTOS
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MIAMI HEAT VS. ATLANTA HAWKS
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Williams' 3-pointer with 5:57 left in the first quarter gave the Hawks a 12-11 lead. Things went downhill from
there at an incredibly rapid pace for Atlanta. The Hawks missed their next 13 shots, plus committed 10 turnovers
during the drought, during which Miami went on a 22-5 run. Williams and Murray each were 0-for-3, with both having
dunk attempts blocked for good measure, and Miami's halftime lead was 46-27. At the break, Wade was 8-for-10.
Atlanta was 8-for-26, matching the fewest field goals Miami has ever allowed in a first half. "This game is played
in four quarters,'' Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "And we didn't come to play the first two quarters.'' Still, the
Hawks didn't go quietly. Down 57-37 after Wade's jumper with 3:29 remaining in the third, Atlanta made a quick - and
somewhat surprising - run. Murray, who was scoreless to that point, scored 10 points in what became a 20-7 Hawks rally,
and with 10:21 remaining, the Hawks were within 64-57. But Murray forced a bad 3-pointer that missed the rim by about
3 feet with 9:36 left, and that proved to be a spark for the Heat. Miami went on an 8-2 run over the next 61 seconds -
capped by Wade blocking Smith's shot in the lane and setting up a three-point play by Chalmers at the other end - to
restore a 72-59 cushion. - NBA.com
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DWYANE WADE PUTS A STOP TO MAGIC DOMINATION
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January 24, 2009
- Mario Chalmers wasn't happy when Jameer Nelson pumped his fist after swishing a late 3-pointer that capped
a huge comeback by the Orlando Magic. He was thrilled, however, to land the knockout punch. Chalmers stripped
the ball from Nelson with 8 seconds remaining, ensuring that the Miami Heat - after 10 straight losses to their
Sunshine State rivals - would beat the Magic 103-97 on Saturday night. The Heat wasted every bit of the 15-point
lead they carried into the final period, yet still found a way to beat Orlando for the first time since Feb. 15,
2006. "We were able to turn it around, focus in and get the stops,'' Chalmers said. Dwyane Wade scored 27 points,
Chalmers added 20 and Udonis Haslem added 12 points - including two huge baskets down the stretch - for Miami,
which finished with four turnovers, an all-time franchise low, to deal Orlando its second straight loss.
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"It's very satisfying to get this one,'' Wade said. "We had to prove to ourselves, once again, that we can beat
the elite teams.'' Michael Beasley and Chris Quinn each scored 10 for the Heat. Dwight Howard had 22 points and
10 rebounds for Orlando before getting ejected with 1.1 seconds remaining. Rashard Lewis scored 21, Hedo Turkoglu
scored 18 and Nelson added 16 for the Magic, including the 3-pointer that tied it with a shade under 3 minutes
remaining. But Miami closed with a 9-4 run, fueled by Haslem, and improved to 23-19 on the season. Orlando, which
had the NBA's best record earlier in the week, dropped to 33-10. "We ended up with what we deserved,'' Magic coach
Stan Van Gundy said. "In a loss, you can look at certain things that might have happened. In this game, I think it
was pretty much a case of not getting it done from start to finish.''
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DWYANE WADE PHOTOS
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MIAMI HEAT VS. ORLANDO MAGIC
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Miami led 56-52 at the break, with Orlando's starters dominating frontcourt scoring (37-7) and the Heat duo of Wade and
Chalmers having a decided edge in backcourt scoring over Courtney Lee and Jameer Nelson (29-6). Chalmers hit his first
six shots in the opening quarter, and the Heat used a 17-8 run to erase an early six-point deficit. Miami held the lead
throughout the second quarter, with Wade perfect from the field (3-for-3) and Beasley perfect from the foul line (8-for-8).
Even with Wade on the bench resting up for the finish, Miami's reserves extended the lead in the third. Wade checked out
with 3:12 left in the third, with Miami leading 73-66. Without him, Miami closed the quarter on an 8-0 run, with Quinn
leading the way. "All year, we've been saying our depth is going to help us be a good team,'' Wade said. "So big ups to
our bench for coming in and helping us get that lead.'' Quinn hit a 3-pointer, grabbed a rebound to set up a jumper by
Daequan Cook, then swung the ball to Mark Blount for another 3 that put the Heat up 83-68 entering the fourth. - NBA.com
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DWYANE WADE RECEIVES PLAYERS OF THE MONTH AND A LOSS
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January 21, 2009
- Dwyane Wade accepted his NBA player of the month award for December at halftime, under less-than-ideal
circumstances - his team trailed 57-34. Wade finished with 25 points, Daequan Cook scored 20 and Michael
Beasley added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat. "I'm not sure I recognized what team was out there,''
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We were doing things thay I hadn't seen us do this season.'' Boston never
trailed, running out to a 29-10 lead after one quarter and maintaining a double-digit lead the rest of the
way. The Celtics (35-9) visit Orlando (33-8) on Thursday in a matchup of two of the league's top teams.
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Miami got within 11 twice in the latter stages of the third quarter, only to have House - who spent his first
three seasons with the Heat - answer each time. House dribbled his way free for a 20-foot jumper near the top
of the key, then took a pass from Pierce for a 3-pointer that gave Boston a 78-64 lead entering the fourth. "I
think Eddie really needed a breakout game like this,'' Pierce said. House essentially finished what Allen started.
Allen - who attended the inauguration of President Barack Obama on Tuesday, spending more than an hour walking to
his seat in the wintry air - showed no signs of fatigue. He made his first three shots, including a pair of 3-pointers,
to stake Boston to a quick 11-2 lead. From there, the defending NBA champs were off and running.
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DWYANE WADE PHOTOS
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MIAMI HEAT VS. BOSTON CELTICS
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Miami got within 11 once in the fourth quarter as well, only to see that snuffed out by an
8-0 run by Boston. Garnett hit a jumper, Allen then made consecutive 3-pointers, and the
building quickly emptied during a time-out with 3:56 left and Boston up 95-76. For good
measure, Allen made another 3 - his fifth of the night - on Boston's next possession. "There
were some backbreakers out there, Eddie House early on, then Ray Allen,'' Wade said. "They
did a good job of knowing where we were going to be.'' The first quarter was one to forget
for the Heat, who finished with a season-low 10 points, digging a 19-point hole. Shawn Marion,
who was limited to eight minutes - he took treatment for a sore left groin throughout the day
but wound up starting - missed an easy dunk, perhaps the ultimate lowlight for Miami. The
Celtics also outrebounded Miami 18-5 in the first quarter, finishing the game with an 48-30
margin. There was fleeting hope for Miami midway through the second quarter, when Wade's dunk
off a fast break drew the Heat within 41-29 with 5:54 left in the half. - NBA.com
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DWYANE WADE SMOTHERS THUNDER'S FOURTH QUARTER RALLY
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January 19, 2009
- Dwyane Wade's legs were sore, Udonis Haslem had a bad back and Shawn Marion was too hurt to play. Even at the end of a seven-game,
12-day road trip, the Heat still had enough to pull through. Wade had 32 points and racked up most of his 10 assists while helping
thwart Oklahoma City's fourth-quarter rally as the Heat beat the Thunder 104-94 Sunday night to head home on a positive note. "Everybody's
tired, bumped up, bruised up,'' Haslem said. "We just had unbelievable mental focus tonight. We put all our individual bumps and bruises
aside and everybody came together and we did what we had to do.'' Wade went on a scoring flurry early and then capped the night by
methodically taking apart Oklahoma City's defense with a series of passes to his teammates.
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Miami had led by 14 in the third quarter, but the Thunder cut into the gap as Wade rested at the start of the final period.
Oklahoma City pulled to 86-81 when Durant hit back-to-back 3-pointers with 9:45 to play, and that prompted Heat coach Erik
Spoelstra to call timeout and put Wade back in. The NBA's scoring leader made consecutive jumpers from the same spot on the
left wing to stabilize Miami and then used a pump-fake to set up Chalmers for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that extended the
lead to 93-85. He added two more assists on 3s by Daequan Cook and Chalmers that pushed the lead into double digits, and
sealed up his 10th double-double when he found Magloire open for a right-handed jam that made it 103-88 with just over 2
minutes left. "Dwyane was really the one that was orchestrating that whole attack. It was just a very poised, mature attack
at the end of the game to get good shots and to play the time and score,'' Spoelstra said. "In many ways, we looked like a
mature, veteran team tonight in closing out the game on both sides of the floor - which I think is very encouraging.''
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DWYANE WADE PHOTOS
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MIAMI HEAT VS. O.C. THUNDER
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Wade scored 18 points in the first 10 minutes, sinking an assortment of jumpers and layups and even answering Durant's
missed right-handed jam with a successful dunk at the other end. When he returned after a 6-minute rest to start the
second quarter, Miami scored six straight points and opened a 47-38 lead after Chalmers' reverse layup. Wade and Oklahoma
City's Desmond Mason had to be separated after the two exchanged words following Wade's 3-pointer in the closing minute
of the first half, his only basket of the second quarter. Most of his damage from then on came when he was creating
opportunities for his teammates. After shooting 9-for-15 in the first half, Wade was 5-for-13 after the break but had four
big assists in the fourth quarter. - NBA.com
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