Wade With Potential Season Ending Injury

[James]

To bad for Wade, he is one of the best players in the NBA and now it looks like he could be out for the rest of the season, just when the season for the Heat was starting to look up.

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade is considering season-ending surgery to repair his dislocated left shoulder, which would be the biggest loss yet for the Miami Heat during their rocky reign as NBA champions.

The All-Star guard was hurt in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night's 112-102 loss at Houston. Wade flew home early Thursday in a private plane and was examined at a hospital by team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick, who conducted a battery of tests.

"Wade is presently weighing his treatment options provided to him by the Heat medical staff," the team said in a statement. "Wade still needs to discuss these options with his family and Heat president and head coach Pat Riley, and will then decide what course of action to take."

Regardless of the decision, the Heat's bid to repeat was further weakened. They may hard-pressed merely to make the playoffs.

The injury stung especially hard because it came in the first game in which Wade, Riley and Shaquille O'Neal have been together since mid-November. Plagued by health issues much of the season, the Heat had won seven of eight games to reach .500, their best record since they were 3-3, and appeared ready to surge into the playoffs.

Instead, they went into Thursday's NBA Finals rematch at Dallas missing their leading scorer and five games behind Washington in the Southeast Division with 29 to play. At 26-27, Miami had the eighth-best record in the East and was two games out of ninth place.

The top eight teams in the conference qualify for the postseason. Only once since 1970 has the defending NBA champion failed to make the playoffs -- Chicago in 1999.

"You don't know how this whole thing is going to play out," Riley said. "We'll have to play with a sense of urgency."

O'Neal said he's not yet projecting playoff seedings, but in Wade's absence, he said it's time for him to become more active.

"I'm going to start playing really aggressive," he said. "Hopefully I'll get more looks and get more touches and be able to keep everyone involved."

O'Neal, who turns 35 next month, is still rounding into form after returning Jan. 24 from knee surgery. He had 20 points and 16 rebounds in 27 minutes Wednesday.

"If we can get Shaq to play the way he did tonight, we will be in pretty good shape," Riley said.

"We have to keep the big fellow going," forward James Posey said.

Even with O'Neal as another option on offense, Wade leaves a huge void. The MVP of last season's NBA Finals is third in the league in scoring with an average of 28.8 points.

"He's the one we look to to take shots," center Alonzo Mourning said. "Guys are going to take up the slack. We've got guys in here who have been in those roles before, so when our number is called, we've got to produce, plain and simple. We've got to do everything a little bit better now."

Wade was on defense when his left arm collided with Houston's Shane Battier and awkwardly stretched back. Wade walked off the court hunched over in pain and sat on the bench in tears as his shoulder was examined. He then left in a wheelchair and went to a hospital by ambulance.

Wade bruised the same shoulder in a game Feb. 13 but played in the All-Star Game Sunday.

For the Heat, Wade's departure was all too familiar. He already had missed seven games this season, O'Neal has been out 39 games, and starting point guard Jason Williams has missed 20.

In addition, Riley returned this week after been sidelined since Jan. 3 for operations to replace his left hip and repair cartilage in his right knee.

"Obviously, injuries are a part of this game," Mourning said. "But it seems as though this year we've been behind the eight ball when it comes to injuries."

Source

 

[Mac]

Good.

 

[James]

Thats kind of gross to say...not like the Heat were contending for anything but a first round playoff exit.

 

[CornerThree]

Man, hopefully he gets back to 100% so his free throw form will be unaffected. In the meantime, i hope the thug punks miss the playoffs. Riley is really an asshole magnet, look at the assholes combined on that one team. They are about one Boozer away from forming asshole Voltron.

 

[James]

Walker, Williams, Posey...the all NBA jerk team of the 21st Century.

 

[CornerThree]

Walker, Williams, Posey...the all NBA jerk team of the 21st Century.

ZO

Big time asshole there too.

 

[James]

yea, Zo was a jerk, especially when he was here in Georgetown, he had ties to Rayful Edmonds, Edmonds was giving him money when he was in college.

And also, there is a reason Zo's kidneys failed out, he was pumping himself with roids which led to his kidneys failing.

 

[chiefwahoo]

Karma at it's finest here, not for Wade but the Heat in general. Riley ripped the reigns from Ron Jeremy (Stan Van Gundy) and rode them to a title. Now this team of a-holes is feeling the consequences of Riley selling his soul to the devil.

That being said, I'd take a title for Cleveland any day at any similar cost...

 

[Kypus]

And also, there is a reason Zo's kidneys failed out, he was pumping himself with roids which led to his kidneys failing.

I never thought of that, is that speculation? I know a lot on the boards don't like him, but I have always been a big Zo supporter since the Larry Johnson/Zo Hornets.

 

[Mac]

His kidney has nothing to do with steroids.

 

[LyXo]

Shame.. I was looking forward to seeing Wade VS LeBron in the playoffs... I guess we'll have to wait until next year for that.

That is... if the Cavs make it.

 

[James]

His kidney has nothing to do with steroids.

thats what i have heard, and thats also why Tom Gugiliota had the same problem, they were both juicing, the steroids can lead to kidney failure.

 

[PIP]

That sucks.. Wade is a top talent and is fun to watch... If we do well in the playoffs, and not meet up with the Heat & Wade... It's almost asteriskISH in some ways...

 

[Smooth]

Anyone worried that the Heat some how get a top pick?

 

[TrueCavsFan23]

No.