<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It was a convenient package, the four-game-in-five-nights set to open the new Pat Riley coaching era. While it may have felt a bit chaotic, it did provide a decent sample of games to analyze the Riley effect on the team. Riley won't be able to put his true stamp on the Heat for another several weeks, as he finally gets some practice time with his players. But the first four games did display some subtle changes and the general direction Riley wants to go with his latest group of players. ''I think all of us have benefited [from] Coach Riley coming in and just giving us the opportunity to just run and make plays, like Gary [Payton], Antoine [Walker] and myself who can get out on the open floor and make plays,'' Dwyane Wade said. ``I think the main thing is getting our defense better and getting that intensity better, being in the right spots so we can get the stops then hurt them on the other end.'' Wade's offensive freedom hasn't resulted in much change in his numbers under Riley. The Heat's leading scorer has averaged 26.5 points on 53.6 percent shooting with seven assists and 4.8 rebounds in four games under Riley. It's Wade's teammates, however, that have complemented him better during the road trip. In four games under Riley, Walker has been able to make plays for himself and others, highlighted by his 10-point, seven-rebound, seven-assist performance in Saturday's loss to the Cavaliers. For the trip, Walker averaged 12.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists. NEW PHILOSOPHY ''It's always different when you change coaches and you try to figure out their philosophy and how they want you to play,'' Walker said. ``But definitely he's putting the ball in my hands and trying to get me involved in the game as much as possible. ``It gives me an opportunity to break down [defenses], and I think that's my biggest attribute, being able to handle the ball and take big men off the dribble. Coach is working on keeping my head up because there are other guys open, and just trying to look for other guys on the floor. It's going to come back. I've got to get back to the mentality of trying to find guys.'' Payton, meanwhile, has been encouraged to look for his own shot when it's there. The veteran in his 16th year started all four games in place of the injured Jason Williams and averaged 12.8 points, 5.3 assists and shot 50 percent from the field. ''He's just telling us to push the ball and be more free in our game,'' Payton said. ``It's one of those things where we're just playing. There's not too many sets. We're playing up-and-down basketball and have the opportunity to take your man when you want to. That's the way me and 'Toine have been playing our whole careers.'' After the Heat's first game under Riley, it seemed Shaquille O'Neal would be the clear focus of the offense when he scored 30 points against the Bulls in just his second game back from an ankle injury. But O'Neal followed with three uneven games, averaging 18.5 points and eight rebounds, shooting 50 percent for the trip. Fouls and fatigue have affected O'Neal's production. ''I think the guards have to do a better job of keeping the other guards out the lane and getting him in foul trouble early,'' Wade said. ``I think that's the main thing is he's getting early fouls. I'm probably to blame on that. I think a couple times in the last three games I know he got a foul from me letting my guy get to the hole.'' Despite a limited O'Neal, the Heat scored 104.8 a game, and with O'Neal as an option, kept its turnovers to 11 a game, four below the season average.</div> Source
