In many ways, it was a bounce back season for the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade.
Given the recent years of battling injuries, how surprising is it that Dwyane Wade played in 74 games since the 2010 season? Well consider this: Wade has only played 70-plus games five other times in his 13-year NBA career.
At 34 years old Wade reinvented himself, not only showing fans the old “Flash” but also a new character “Father Prime.”
Last summer, Wade bet on himself. He changed trainers, dropped 20 pounds and got himself into the best playing shape he has been in the last few years (via Michael Wallace of ESPN).
The result? During the regular season, Wade averaged 19 points while shooting nearly 47 percent from the field, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game while averaging the fewest minutes throughout his whole career.
Wade’s durability and health had been a major concern the last few years, having played an average 58.5 games over the last four regular seasons.
Not only was Wade’s durability a major concern, but also how he would play when he was on the court. Would the age set in and slow him down? Could he play at the high level that Heat fans have grown accustomed to seeing on the court over the years?
He answered those questions, and Wade’s new-found durability stretched into the post-season. In 14 playoff games Wade didn’t just play, he excelled, performing even better than he had in the regular season.
In the post-season, Wade was simply sensational, raising his game and unleashing the new “Father Prime” alter ego. He averaged 21.4 points, shooting close to 47 percent from the field and an incredible 52 percent from three-point range, in addition to 5.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
In Wade’s exit interview, he mentioned how he felt the season was still a success; that he was satisfied with the team’s performance as well as his own ability to stay healthy.
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Wade, so often unstable last few seasons, was the force of stability for the Heat this season. His ability to not only stay healthy but also thrive in 88 games was by far the biggest surprise of the season.