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Erik Spoelstra: 'I'm not coaching [Dwyane Wade] with restrictions'
Dwyane Wade is only 33, but doesn't he feel older? Wade has been one of the NBA's more fragile superstars over the past half-decade.
He's missed at least 13 games in each of the past four seasons. Actually, he's only gotten to 70 games played during five of his 11 years in the league. But he's still an all-time great, one who the Heat have monitored closely over the past couple of seasons. But now, coach Erik Spoelstra says that may not be so. From Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post:
No restrictions? On a man you once rested on the second half of back-to-backs for a whole season? I'm not buying it, especially once Wade gets dinged up for the first time.
Look, the logic makes some amount of sense. The NBA's new schedule has greatly lessened back-to-backs, but that doesn't mean they're fully going away. Miami still has nine back-to-backs on the docket for the upcoming season.
Maybe there won't be minutes restrictions within games, but you have to imagine a soon-to-be 34-year-old Wade will want or even need rest as the season continues. If the Heat plan on contending in the East, which is completely possible with a revamped roster, sitting him at calculated moments would probably be the smart play.
(h/t Palm Beach Post)
