Dwayne Wade playing all 82 games is something of a rarity these days. The Miami Heat veteran is unfortunately injury-prone.
But Wade plans to change all that.
WADE: THE GOAL IS 82 GAMES
Miami Heat’s Dwayne Wade has missed a chunk of the last two seasons and in stages of last year, coach Erik Spoelstra even rested Wade for the games that Miami were “expected to win”.
Wade though has a goal, as Ira Winderman tweeted.
Wade said last season's maintenance plan was not necessarily his idea, that it "almost worked," but goal is to play every game this season.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 27, 2014
There’s no doubt that with Wade in the line-up, Miami can still be a contender in the East. Luol Deng is a great addition plus Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers have remained so there is still hope on South Beach, even if the King has gone home.
REAL MADRID BEAT BARCELONA IN SUPERCOPA ENDESA
Real Madrid got the Liga Endesa season underway with a convincing 99-78 win over Barcelona in the Supercopa Endesa.
Sergio Llull led all scorers with 21 points. Ante Tomic led the Liga Endesa champions with 17.
PG24 CLEARED TO PUT WEIGHT ON LEG
Paul George has been cleared to put weight on his previously broken leg. Which is great news not just for Indiana Pacers fans, but great news for basketball fans.
Via AP:
“He’s down to one crutch or no crutches,” coach Frank Vogel said Thursday at the team’s annual golf outing near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “For the past three or four weeks, he’s been doing core work, upper body work in the weight room, and they want him to put weight on it.”
Over the past several weeks, George’s workload has been ramping up. He could soon become more involved with his teammates — many of whom have been working out in Indianapolis before training camp opens Tuesday. Some have seen or spoken with George regularly. […] “He’s doing great,” said free-agent signee C.J. Miles, who will help fill the scoring void. “He’s in there every day lifting. It just shows his character and who he is, a guy who will do whatever he can to help his team win.”
“I’ve given him a clipboard to chart deflections and contested shots. We can’t just let him sit around,” Vogel said. “Any time you have an opportunity to observe the game or your team or your system, I think it helps you grow your understanding of everything.”
George will be out for the season after breaking his leg in the USA intersquad scrimmage on August 1.
CUBAN: NO MAVERICK WILL AVERAGE 20 POINTS
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban thinks that his team might be too unselfish when the new NBA season tips off.
Via the Dallas Morning News:
“I’m not expecting anybody on our team to be a 20-point scorer,” Cuban said. “Not Dirk [Nowitzki]. I don’t want him to be a 20-point scorer. Seriously. Monta [Ellis] has that capability. [Tyson] Chandler has that capability. Dirk has that capability. Richard Jefferson’s got that capability. Jameer [Nelson could score] 15. Raymond [Felton] could do 15, if that was the focus, but that’s not our focus.
“That’s the cool thing. There are going to be times when we overpass. And that will be one of the challenges that Rick [Carlisle] has, that some guys are too unselfish.”
Asked if [Chandler] Parsons, whose scoring has increased in each of his first three seasons and who the Mavericks are paying $47-million over the next three seasons, should be a 20-point scorer, Cuban said: “I don’t know. I don’t care. If he averaged 10, 8 and 8, I’d be thrilled to death. I don’t care how much he scores. I care how well we do. I think he’d love to take credit for being a guy who can score 20 when you need him to, but can get eight rebounds and dish out eight assists, too, as well.”
