During a postseason with some potholes, Dwyane Wade has looked outward as well as inward â€" even taking a one-hour trip from Indianapolis to Bloomington during the second round to visit with his college coach, Tom Crean.
Sources told the Post that, last week, Wade also reached out for a trusted friend and adviser to come to him.
Tim Grover, the founder and owner of Attack Athletics, is best known for all his years training Michael Jordan, and has been working lately with Kobe Bryant in Germany. After returning to the United States, Grover went with Bryant to Los Angeles, when Wade requested he come to Miami. With Bryant’s permission, Grover flew to South Florida, arriving on Saturday, watching Game 3 of the NBA Finals from AmericanAirlines Arena on Sunday night, scheduled to stay a few days to work on Wade’s body and mind.
It is no secret that Wade’s lower legs â€" especially his left knee â€" have been bothering him throughout the playoffs. It is also not a secret that some in the organization were less than thrilled with the basketball condition in which Wade arrived to training camp this season, though Wade recently said he believed his offseason program had served him well during the lockout-compressed schedule.
He spent less time than usual with Grover at Hoops Gym in Chicago this summer and during the lockout, in part so he could work more closely with LeBron James. Grover was largely credited with getting Wade back into premium shape in 2008, after Wade had suffered a number of injuries. Wade showed the worth of that work by starring for the U.S. Olympic “Redeem Teamâ€, as arguably its most dynamic player.
Wade has played the same number of playoff games so far, in 2012, that he did in 2011. Perceptions aside, his overall numbers actually aren’t all that different, in several categories, and some of the difference is a result of the larger role that James has taken. Wade has played three more total minutes than in the 2011 postsaeson, has made just one fewer field goal and committed just one more turnover. He is averaging fewer points (22.9 compared to 24.5), fewer rebounds (5.1 compared to 7.1), and shooting slightly lower percentages from the floor (46.1 vs. 48.5), the three-point line (25.8 vs. 26.9) and the free throw line (73.0 vs. 77.7).
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
No comments:
Post a Comment