So has Dwyane Wade’s level of productivity surprised you?
Tachauer: My immediate reaction to this question was both “oh absolutely” and “not at all.” I know; let me explain. On the one hand, because of how tough of a decision returning for one last season seemed to be for Dwyane Wade, I wasn’t sure what to expect from him. A part of me thought that maybe he’d see around 15 minutes a game, take some 3-point shots for fun, and just enjoy basking in the glory of the crowd cheering every time he touched the ball. But then again, it’s Wade we’re talking about, right? He’s almost literally been living out the definition of “having found a fountain of youth,” for the last few years. So the other half of me did expect big things from him, #OneLastDance or not. He’s always been a competitor, so it’s no surprise he wants to make sure he closes out this chapter, on top.
Johnson: Oh, most definitely. Entering his “Last Dance,” I basically expected Wade to play somewhere in the range of 15-20 minutes per game. You know, long enough to wave to the crowd, make a shot or two, and then call it a night. But to average almost 26 minutes per game and to be second on the team in fourth quarter scoring on top of that? That’s just awesome. And unexpected. With that said though, obviously Wade has never been one to go down silently, and so this season just continues to represent his die-hard nature and competitive spirit.