Had Dwayne Wade been healthy in the playoffs last year, Miami probably would have made it to the Finals. That didn’t stop Pat Riley from making a ton of trades, basically eradicating any chemistry that might have formed over the years. Unlike San Antonio, the Heat had to pay a pretty penny for these former stars, and so far it hasn’t worked out.
The Heat have looked lousy so far, even without Shaq. They picked up James Posey, Antoine Walker, Gary Payton and Jason Williams solely for the purpose of backing up Shaq, but at this point they have proven incapable of winning without him. All these players have the one-on-one mentality of give it to me and I’ll score. Dwyane Wade is a superstar who can’t do it alone. Alonzo Mourning has revived the gas left in the tank to be surprisingly effective.
Some players have found their role. James Posey has given up being a 3-point shooter to try and make up for the loss of Damon Jones. Jason Williams is a completely different PG than the one we saw in Sacramento. With the Kings, Williams constantly shot himself out of the game, but since he was with Hubie in Memphis, he has been more of a conventional point guard. Some like Antoine Walker have not adapted so well; you’ll still see him fly 30-foot-3 like he did in Dallas. Gary Payton hasn’t explored much beyond the 3-point line this year.
Shaquille O’Neal will return on Sunday vs. wizards The core of the Heat remains the same: They still allow teams to score just 93.8 PPG, they still get to the free throw line, now they just need O’Neal. His very presence can lead to a one-man team, so the Heat’s record should increase substantially. How long it will take him to adjust to his new companions is another story.
Pat Riley should have realized that not everyone on a team has to be a superstar. Two superstars and other collaborators who have their roles work just as well, but it’s ridiculous to ask highly paid former exhibitionists to agree to a team concept. Damon Jones was just a 3-point shooter with set shots, and that’s all you asked of him. Antoine Walker will leave alone, whether you ask him or not. When Shaq was injured in the playoffs last year, he missed the entire series against the Wizards. But his teammates knew how to carry the load and beat a quality team. For them, being 10-10 right now is nerve-wracking, as they shouldn’t have to rely on Shaq as much. They’re still a top 3 team in the East, but to what extent?
