<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">This is why Shaquille O'Neal was brought here -- for this, for tonight, for the most important game in the history of the Miami Heat franchise. He was not brought here to have his worst playoff game ever and then afterward vanish, redundantly. He was not brought here to make all those jokes about being sexy in good times and then leave congested Dwyane Wade to speak for him in bad times. He was not brought here, in times of turbulence, to get himself and his franchise fined for his 330 pounds of pouting in silence when now, more than ever, his fragile team needs his voice to be loud and defiant, chest and chin and championships out there for all to see. It is one of the strangest sights in sports -- Shaq, shrinking -- but now would be a pretty good time for the angry giant to reappear, as the local earthlings question their superhero's remaining strength more than ever. Shaq, there's a ring at the door. You going to answer? He arrived here by parade, a first, and then promised another. It is a mere four victories away. The Dallas Mavericks are young, strong and impressive. But they do not have him. They may think they are good enough to be champions, more so than ever today, but there is only one person on that court when the ball goes up tonight who knows he is good enough, who has the substantive and empirical proof.</div> Source <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq, there's a ring at the door tonight. People are starting to wonder if you still live here, if anyone is home. You going to answer? Or you going to leave it to Dirk?</div> It's interesting Shaq is the one getting blamed for the Heat being down 0-2. I would have to say Wade has been the disappointing player in the series thus far for Miami. Shaq isn't getting a chance to dominate the series like he's accustomed to, and a lot of it has to do with the way Wade is playing. I see Wade getting caught up in the Mavs style of basketball and it's allowing the Mavs to control the tempo. Both Wade and Walker need to play with more discipline on the court and really milk each possession. The only way the Heat can win is grinding it out, and running the offense through Shaq early and often. Let him carry you offensively in the first half, and have Wade close the game out in the final quarter.
I agree with the Wade comments. He's not himself. He's not hitting the shots he normally hits, he's shooting pull up jumpers at times. All the times that the Lakers won championships with Shaq, Kobe was doing his part, which allowed Shaq to get involved and be dominant. I don't think we'll see any articles critcizing Wade, I don't think Miami media could do that.
