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Thoughts from the Bench
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With only 20 games remaining in the NBA’s regular season, the league’s worst team can’t catch a break, let alone a bone.
The Miami Heat just lost their catalyst and team leader, Dwayne Wade, for the team’s remaining games.
On Monday, Head Coach Pat Riley announced that Wade would miss the rest of the season to deal with his ailing knee injury that has plagued him for duration of this season.
The 2006 MVP of the NBA Finals had been averaging 24.6 points per game and had been dishing out 6.9 assists in 38.2 minutes per gamethis season.
However, as much as Wade had contributed this season, it just wasn’t enough to save the once red -hot team.
Miami’s problems had been going on long before Wade was declared gone for the season.
The team lost their first 12 games and had 14 consecutive loses during the later part of December and into January.
During that time period they were playing with inside force Shaquille O’Neal, who was averaging 14.2 points a game.
His presence wasn’t felt the same way as it seems to be playing out on the West Coast for the rising Phoenix Suns.
In February, the Heat made a monumental trade to send Shaq out West and in return bagged the six-foot-seven forward Shawn Marion of the Suns, in hopes of a quick fix.
The supposed savior hasn’t been the knight in shining armor they were hoping for.
So far in the 14 games the forward has played for the Heat, he’s averaged 14.7 points a game; one less than with the Suns. The team has also only won two of their 14 games he’s played in.
I’m not saying that Marion isn’t an asset to the team, the Heat are just too far gone and in dire need of help all-around to make any improvements this season.
Plus Jason Williams and Ricky Davis just haven’t been there on both ends of the court this season for the Heat.
The playoffs were gone along time ago for Miami, but a first or second pick in the draft are high on the team’s to-do list.
To help with the cause of a hot lottery pick that might help the cause next season, Riley recently announced that he’s going to be taking some “time off” to go scout at the upcoming NCAA tournaments and confercne championship games.
I don’t know if this is the best idea right now for Riley, but heck it can’t hurt right?
To add to the mix of troubles for the team, a roster spot just became open on their roster Monday when they waived guard Smush Parker.
Parker wasn’t much of a benefit for the team this season because he was dealing with legal issues.
With Parker off the team, they now have another task of filling a vacant guard spot that they desperately need right now.
If the ailing Heat have any hopes of winning some games next season, they’ll have to become healthy, number one, and number two, get some athletes from the lottery that can instantly contribute.
If this happens, the Heat will hopefully be able to get back to their glory days of title runs and championships.
It seems like now, the Western Conference has taken over the title of dominant powerhouse and if the East, particularly the Heat, want a chance at a title, the word trade seems like an appropriate term right about now. Best of luck, Miami.
MARY ALBL
Assistant Sports Editor