Dwyane Wade was not right physically during the Heat’s first round sweep of the Bucks. He struggled through a 1-of-12 shooting performance while playing 36 minutes in Game 3, but still was effective in other areas, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out 11 assists, and coming up with five steals.
Wade has been limited by a sore right knee, and with a 3-0 series lead, Miami saw no need to roll him out there for Game 4. He’s expected to be ready for the second round of the playoffs, when the Heat will open at home on Monday May 6 against either the Nets or the Bulls.
But should we be concerned that Wade might be dealing with this issue deep into the playoffs, and that Miami may be at less than full strength because of it? Chris Bosh says no.
From Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida:
Wade was second on the team in scoring, and averaged 21.2 points in 31.7 minutes per game during the regular season. In the three first round playoff games against Milwaukee in which he appeared, Wade averaged just 13.7 points per game.
It’s not all about scoring, obviously, and Wade proved he could contribute in other ways, even when his knee prevented him from being able to shoot at the comfort level he has for most of the season.
Bosh is right, in that he and the rest of the Heat don’t have much to be concerned about, considering we’re talking about a team that has won 41 of its last 43 games. But as Miami advances deeper into the playoffs, they are going to need everyone as healthy as possible -- which is why the situation with Wade is, at the very least, something to watch.