MIAMI _ It might have been the early-morning hot yoga that preceded Monday's shootaround. Or it might be a body only now coming around to the rigors of a 16th NBA season after initial uncertainty about this Miami Heat return.
No matter the reason, it appears that Dwyane Wade is warming up to this challenge at hand, as sixth-man spark for a team still finding its way.
Monday night there not only were 18 points in the 120-115 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons that snapped a three-game losing streak, but also three dunks, after entering with just one over the season's first eight games.
"I think it was the yoga," Wade, 36, said of the added bounce that had him reflecting on his dunks after the game with fellow 16th-season teammate Udonis Haslem. "As UD said, it was fast breaks, so I should dunk 'em. But, you know, just had an opportunity. I'm getting my legs under me now. I've definitely been feeling a lot better over the last week and a half, so I'm getting my legs back."
Erik Spoelstra, who has consistently played Wade as sixth man, even amid a few early-season missteps, said the timing only was a matter of time.
"I love seeing this version of Dwyane over the years and how he's evolved and how much work he's put in behind the scenes that nobody sees," Spoelstra said, with a four-game homestand up next, starting Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena against the San Antonio Spurs. "The fountain of youth is a bunch of work, a bunch of sweat, a bunch of pushing your body to exhaustion when nobody is watching, just to keep that edge.
"He had a big time workout (Monday), yoga and working out before our shootaround. And our shootarounds aren't the easiest. But he's found the fountain of youth, and he'll continue to get younger because of that work ethic."
