While LeBron James is arguably the Miami Heat's best player, it cannot be denied that the health of All-Star guard Dwyane Wade is critical for the team to accomplish its goal of winning its third consecutive NBA title. And Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson realizes how banged-up Wade's knees are at this point of his career.
Asked whether he's eager to test Wade's health, particularly his right knee, the volatile shooting guard said via Pacers.com: "Definitely. D. Wade, his knee is kind of messed up, so I have to be extra aggressive and make him run. Tell Coach to run (the play) 'Floppy' and run him around and make his knee flare up or something. Do anything possible so the games will come easier for us."
It's no secret to the Pacers and to the rest of the league that the Heat have been extra cautious on Wade, managing his minutes all season long just to keep him fresh for the postseason. He appeared in only 54 games this season, often sitting during the second game of back-to-backs, and he averaged a career low 32.9 minutes a game. Still, he was good for averages of 19 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds in the regular season.
The gamble has pretty much paid off for the Heat, which went on to grab the second seed behind the Pacers in the relatively weak Eastern Conference. In the postseason, Wade has shot better at a 50 percent clip and averages 17.9 points, four assists and nearly four rebounds.
Still, it remains to be seen how healthy Wade will be for the rest of the playoffs, especially with Stephenson's pronouncements.
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