Heat has resurgence, hope for season's 2nd half

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Dwyane Wade planted himself at the foul line. Shaquille O'Neal planted himself beneath the rim. And with Tuesday's 94-82 victory over the Grizzles, the Heat may have planted the seeds of a resurgence over the second half of the season.

"We're coming around," O'Neal said. "Hopefully this is what's to come."

With many of its players doing what they do best, the Heat turned a 17-7 third-quarter surge into an easy victory against one of the better teams in the Western Conference.

Making it a point to make his points one at a time after failing to convert his lone free throw in Sunday's victory over Sacramento, Wade shot 13 of 20 from the line on the way to scoring 25.

"Tonight he was just committed," coach Pat Riley said of his guard's relentless march to the foul line.

When Wade did miss on his 6-of-12 night from the field, O'Neal was there for cleanup duty. Continuing his recent revival, the Heat center closed with 20 points and 15 rebounds.

"He's grabbing the ball strongly. He's catching the ball in traffic now," Riley said. "It's positioning. It's conditioning. It's getting your head under the rim."

And, with Riley, it's getting into his players' heads.

Two days after challenging Wade's defensive disposition, Riley turned his attention before Tuesday's game to O'Neal's rebounding.

"He told me he needed 20 rebounds from me," O'Neal said. "So I owe him five. I'll get them [today] in practice."

Asked if that would count, O'Neal said, "They all count."

When O'Neal wasn't dominating on offense, backup center Alonzo Mourning was controlling the lane on defense, with a remarkably efficient nine-point, five-rebound, three-block game that included only one field-goal attempt.

Factor in 14 points from point guard Jason Williams, 11 rebounds from power forward Udonis Haslem, and a banked-in 3-pointer from reserve forward Antoine Walker and there were smiles all around as the Heat opened the second 41 games of its schedule.

By contrast, for former Heat guard Eddie Jones, the night was a study in misery. Jones closed 0 for 7 from the field and 2 of 7 from the foul line in his first game back since being dealt last summer for Williams and forward James Posey. Jones closed the two-game season series 5 of 24 from the field against his former teammates in the two losses.

"You want to be out there, competing," said Jones, who instead was limited to 27 minutes by foul trouble. "I guess you have nights like that, when you want it so bad."

Part of Jones' misfortune was that the Heat put together one of its best defensive efforts of the season.

"That's two games in a row that we showed, at a time when we need to show it, a real lockdown mentality," Riley said, with Memphis limited to 14 third-quarter points.

Asked for the keys to the effort, Riley was succinct.

"Awareness and preparation," he said.

The game was Riley's 1,700th, the victory improving his record to 1,124-576.

While the Grizzlies are entrenched in playoff position in the Western Conference, a truer test of the Heat's growth will close out this four-game homestand, when the Suns arrive for Thursday's nationally televised game.

For now, Wade exited satisfied with what he and O'Neal provided Tuesday.

"He's getting in better shape," Wade said. "And I was more aggressive going to the basket."</div>

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-hea...la-sports-front

 

O'Neal is getting more mobile about now. A mobile O'Neal that can get good position on every play is IMO the best player in the game. I like what Pat Riley is doing. The team seems to be getting their act together. Shaq is getting in better shape. Wade is maturing as a player. The Chemistry is developing. The Miami-Detroit matchup in the playoffs is the most anticipated one IMO.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Diesel:</div><div class="quote_post">O'Neal is getting more mobile about now. A mobile O'Neal that can get good position on every play is IMO the best player in the game. I like what Pat Riley is doing. The team seems to be getting their act together. Shaq is getting in better shape. Wade is maturing as a player. The Chemistry is developing. The Miami-Detroit matchup in the playoffs is the most anticipated one IMO.</div>


Why can't he be mobile all the time?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tomahawk:</div><div class="quote_post">Why can't he be mobile all the time?</div>

Hes getting back in shape and hes almost fully recovered from his injury.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Diesel:</div><div class="quote_post">Hes getting back in shape and hes almost fully recovered from his injury.</div>

It's coming on 2 months and he is just getting back in shape?

I would think with all his off time he would at least do cardio to stay in shape. Or at least work on things that didn't effect his foot.

Miami made a huge mistake signing him to a 5 year deal. 2-3 year deal seems to be good, but in 5 years he will be averaging 10/8 in 20mpg.

Shaq can't even stay on the floor this season, things arn't looking up for the big man. He isn't dominate anymore. Sorry.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tomahawk:</div><div class="quote_post">It's coming on 2 months and he is just getting back in shape?

I would think with all his off time he would at least do cardio to stay in shape. Or at least work on things that didn't effect his foot.

Miami made a huge mistake signing him to a 5 year deal. 2-3 year deal seems to be good, but in 5 years he will be averaging 10/8 in 20mpg.

Shaq can't even stay on the floor this season, things arn't looking up for the big man. He isn't dominate anymore. Sorry.</div>
I agree. I only root for Shaq because he's in Heat jersey. I'm more a fan of Zo because he used to be heart and soul of Miami.
Giving Shaq 2-3 years would have been the best deal for Miami but I don't think Shaq would have accepted that. I just hope that Shaq can again be dominant again. Right now, it's all Wade's show.