My favorite amazing truths about Wade's '09 season: he kept Miami above .500 in the first half of the season despite Michael Beasley's defensive foibles, a rookie point guard (Mario Chalmers) and the immortal Joel Anthony playing 20 minutes a game. ... He coaxed 44 wins from a team that traded its second-best player in February for a relative has-been (see No. 204). ... He leads the NBA in scoring and could finish in the top 15 in three of the other four major categories (assists, steals and blocks), and no, that has never happened before. ... When LeBronamania heated up during the All-Star break, Wade responded with a surreal 34-8-5 and 51 percent FG over the next eight weeks. ... He played his butt off Kobe-style every night. ... Smart teams triple-teamed him in crunch time. ... By sheer osmosis, he redeemed Beasley's career, made him care about defense and turned him into a potential playoff weapon. ... And most importantly, his teammates enjoyed playing with him (something you couldn't have said about the 2006 Lakers with Kobe). I have been writing this MVP column for six years and he's the best No. 3 by far. Nobody comes close. Switch Wade with an average guard (say, Jamal Crawford) and the 2009 Heat win 15 games. We'll give Wade the 2009 Fantasy MVP as a consolation prize.
One more thought: Did you ever notice the disturbing parallels between Wade and Jack Bauer beyond the whole "totally fearless" and "can carry a show by themselves" parts? Follow me here ...
2002: Wade submits a stellar sophomore year at Marquette (after not playing as a freshman) and puts himself on the map; Bauer submits a stellar Season 1 of "24" and puts himself on the map.
2003: Wade carries Marquette to the Final Four; Bauer carries "24" to an excellent Season 2 in which he detonates a nuclear bomb in L.A. (no, not the Kobe incident in Colorado -- an actual nuclear bomb).
2004: Wade leads Miami to the NBA playoffs before losing in Round 2; Bauer fights off a heroin addiction and carries "24" to a solid Season 3 that falls apart down the stretch after he kills Nina Myers.
2005: Wade gets a new running mate (a controversial center named Shaq) and would've won the title if he didn't get injured during the Eastern finals; Jack gets a new running mate (a controversial girlfriend named Audrey) and could have had his best season ever if the "nuclear football" plot hadn't fallen apart right near the end.
2006: Wade enjoys his greatest season (Finals MVP, first title) and so does Bauer in Season 5 (which features David Palmer's assassination, Jack coming out of hiding in the Mojave desert, President Logan's meltdown, a really good nerve gas plot and Jack getting kidnapped by the Chinese). Both Wade and Jack peaked in 2006. And if that's not enough, Gary Payton co-starred with both of them: As GP on Miami and Wayne Palmer on "24."
2007: Wade's Miami team falls apart (44 wins, first-round exit) as Wade's supporting cast crumbles and poor Wade is too banged up from previous seasons to carry them. Jack's TV show falls apart (worst "24" season by far) and his supporting cast crumbles (no Tony Almeida or Michelle Dessler and too much President Wayne Palmer, the Mark Blount of "24") as he's too banged up from previous seasons to carry them.
2008: Wade's season gets cancelled by injuries (he plays only 51 games); Jack's season gets cancelled by the writer's strike. Everyone wonders if we'll ever see vintage Wade or vintage Jack again.
2009: Comeback years all around! Wade submits his best regular season ever; Jack leads "24" to its strongest first 18 episodes ever. Now we're heading for the playoffs and who the hell knows what will happen?
(See? And you thought that was going to be convoluted.)
-Novak was also listed as a B.S. 2009 All Star, way to go Steve!
Also in Simmons' column--a mention of Steve Novak on his "Simmons" All-Star team of underrated players.
Also in Simmon's article... Wade is 3rd for MVP.
to all the Lebron haters on this board, read Simmon's reasoning. It *might* make you take off the homer goggles and actually be impartial.
Wade is a great player and i will absolutely always love him but to argue he is better than lebron or more deserving of the mvp is fraking rediculaous. i would take him in a minute over Kobe but Lebron is simply bteer and more deserving, Dwade is the second best player in the NBA.
Best. Comparison. Ever.
24 is really back this year. Quite possibly the best season ever, though this week's twist (avoiding spoilers for those on TiVo) kinda sucks. Doesn't really make sense...
One big difference -- Dwade exists, Bauer is fictional.
Quote from: Ahoya06 on April 15, 2009, 05:01:50 PM
Best. Comparison. Ever.
24 is really back this year. Quite possibly the best season ever, though this week's twist (avoiding spoilers for those on TiVo) kinda sucks. Doesn't really make sense...
While I've enjoyed this season's 24, its just been so danged outrageously unbelievable. Completely. Yeah - scuba attack on the White House.
Quote from: MR.HAYWARD on April 15, 2009, 03:55:49 PM
Wade is a great player and i will absolutely always love him but to argue he is better than lebron or more deserving of the mvp is fraking rediculaous. i would take him in a minute over Kobe but Lebron is simply bteer and more deserving, Dwade is the second best player in the NBA.
Missed the bit where Simmons has him third on his MVP list, but does choose Wade as FANTASY MVP?
Found out that Wade is the first player ever (or atleast since they began keeping the stat in the early 70's) to record 100+ blocks in a season, while standing 6'4" or less.
That my friends....is remarkable.
Quote from: Ahoya06 on April 15, 2009, 05:01:50 PM
Best. Comparison. Ever.
24 is really back this year. Quite possibly the best season ever, though this week's twist (avoiding spoilers for those on TiVo) kinda sucks. Doesn't really make sense...
Thanks, as it is still waiting in my DVR.
Yeah... about 24, I'll be interested to see where this one goes. I agree that it definitely didn't make sense. I don't know how they'll work their way out of this one. This season has been markedly more awesome, though.