Heat’s playoff chances my be Wade-ing away

The Heat started their title defense this season just 13-17 under Riley before the head coach stepped aside on January 3 because of health related issues. Assistant Ron Rothstein took over and Miami eventually fought and clawed its way back to .500 right before the All-Star break.

Then Riley announced he was coming back and things actually got worse for the Heat.

In the club’s first game back after the break, All-Star guard Dwyane Wade dislocated his left shoulder when he got tangled up with Houston’s Shane Battier in the fourth quarter.

It is now uncertain when Wade will return. According to a report in the Miami Herald on Monday, one option the star guard has is to simply rehab the shoulder, which would allow him to return in about six weeks with time left in the regular season. Or, Wade can elect to have surgery and be done for the rest of the season.

The Heat will hope for the first option seeing as though they are 17-25 in games played without Wade since his rookie season. That includes a 2-7 mark this campaign.

However, Miami also needs to be careful not to endanger the well being of their star player long term.

With Wade out, the offensive load will shift back to center Shaquille O’Neal. The 7-foot-1 big man never strays from the spotlight and deep down inside, may enjoy a chance to show people he can still win without Wade.

O’Neal has done his part so far. In Miami’s first game without Wade on Thursday, he and James Posey led the team with 17 points each in a loss to Dallas while O’Neal then netted a team-high 19 points in a win over Cleveland on Sunday.

Heading into action on Monday, O’Neal is just five points shy of reaching 25,000 for his career. Having already grabbed 11,193 rebounds in his career, he will become just the seventh player in NBA history to reach the mark of 25,000 points and 10,000 rebounds. That list also includes Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, Karl Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone, Elvin Hayes and Hakeem Olajuwon.