Miami – Dwyane Wade stayed after practice Tuesday, trying to find his lost jump shot.
The Miami Heat’s all-star guard put up dozens of shots that were rebounded and passed to him by the team’s senior director of security, David Holcombe. After that lengthy exercise, he worked with Heat assistant coach Erik Spoelstra practicing his drive to the basket, trying to maintain his balance while getting his shot off under pressure.
Such work isn’t out of the norm during the regular season, when few notice.
But with a horde of media watching the day after Wade clanked 18-of-25 shots in the Heat’s loss to Detroit in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, the spotlight is on. Wade and the Heat look to regroup tonight and even the best-of-seven series.
“I look at myself as a leader on this team,” Wade said. “I know I can’t perform at the highest level every game, but that’s something I expect out of myself. Plus, I put pressure on myself to lead this team to victory.”
After talking to the media, Wade planned to watch film first with Heat coach Stan Van Gundy and then by himself. Asked what went wrong Monday against Detroit, Wade said he was going too fast on his drives and getting off-balance. Van Gundy said Miami needs to get the former Marquette star a clearer look at the basket.
Wade said he hoped to find more clues to his off night by looking at film. “It’s something I’ve been doing since college,” he said. “You study the film over and over and come back the next game and try to do better.”
Wade entered Game 1 averaging 28.6 points through two playoff series sweeps, including a franchise playoff-best 42 points against Washington.
With center Shaquille O’Neal slowed by a thigh injury, many observers say Wade must carry much of the offensive load for Miami to have a chance against Detroit. Whether the Pistons have his number is one of the big questions. In addition to his poor showing in Game 1, when he was held to 16 points, Wade had just five points and fouled out in 21 minutes in his last regular-season game against Detroit.
He chalked up that poor showing to foul trouble. That wasn’t a problem Monday.
O’Neal said Detroit doesn’t have Wade’s number.
“I think he’s playing a little bit too fast,” he said. “I know (today) he’s going to let the game come to him, and he’s going to have a better game. He just has to make some shots. He was playing great the first two series and then he had an off night.”
Solving Detroit’s defense won’t be easy. Wade is being guarded by NBA all-second team defender Tayshaun Prince, who at 6-feet-9 is 5 inches taller than Wade. And, if Wade gets by Prince, the league’s defensive player of the year, 6-9 Ben Wallace, and/or 6-11 Rasheed Wallace and 6-9 reserve Antonio McDyess are waiting.
“I saw him get frustrated at times,” Prince said. “I think when you miss some easy ones, when you have the opportunity to get some easy looks and you miss them, it does get tough. But we’ve all been in that position before. The important thing from both aspects is we know how he’s going to respond in Game 2.”
Detroit’s Larry Brown coached Wade on last year’s U.S. Olympic team but said that doesn’t give him an edge. If anything, it worries him.
“It makes me nervous, to be honest with you,” Brown said. “Dwyane Wade, watching him play every day (in practice), I just marveled at his competitiveness and his ability. If anything, I know what he’s capable of doing.”
Footnotes
O’Neal said his bruised right thigh felt all right Tuesday and he is expected to play in Game 2. Van Gundy said O’Neal struggled with his stamina after the long layoff. O’Neal begged to differ: “Nothing will affect my stamina. I’m ready if I’m on the court. I’m just going to go out and do what I do. We just made too many mistakes (in Game 1).” … McDyess said former Nuggets teammates Nick Van Exel and George McCloud attended Game 1. … Nuggets coach George Karl, a former NBA analyst for ESPN, has rejoined the network to analyze the playoffs.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
