Time for Wade to Step Up

Jamal Crawford, 52 points on 20/30 shooting.

Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon combine for 60 points.

Both the Knicks and the Bulls beat the Heat, who has dropped 3 straight now. And in each of the losses a defensive let down was evident.

In the Pacers' loss, Danny Granger scored 14 of his 16 points in the 4th quarter - demonstrating that this team has yet to account for a hot shooter. Flash forward to the Knicks and Bulls games and you see a serious trend emerge.

Could it be due to bad substitutions or bad rotations? Possibly. You could fault coach Rothstein for putting the wrong personnel on guys - from time to time. Then again, what else does he have to work with?

We could make all kinds of excuses - injuries, bad officiating, whatever. The fact of the matter is, the Heat are not playing good defense and when they do decide to step it up, it is little too late.

No one may realize that the Heat scored over 30 points in two quarters last night - the 2nd and the 4th. But they only scored 17 in the first quarter. Much like their season, they are not coming out focused and bent on the task of winning games. They think they can just turn it on when the need to and wrap things up. Perhaps it really was a bad thing for them to win the championship last season - as they were down 2 games to none and came back and won that series. As impressive as it was, it may have given them a false sense of apathy.

And the Heat are paying for it now.

Dwyane Wade is the leader of this team - whether he chooses to accept it or not. He is the man, the new face of the NBA. He is a superstar. As humble as he is, he has shown a pretty smooth adaptation to this role due in part to Shaq's presence and influence. Yet there is another challenge facing Wade now - the kind of challenge that wearing a target on your back gets you. The fans in the NBA don't like Wade - because they are envious of the calls he gets. Players around the NBA say the same thing, they demonstrate their bitterness towards the calls he gets although they respect his game.

Seems, Wade has gained superstar treatment without having to pay his dues. He grabbed the Jordan Rules without having to study for them.

The same could have been said for Kobe Bryant when he started to make his way in the Association. Again, he was a talented player brimming with super-staredness but was on the same team as Shaq. He got Jordan-like treatment from the refs, too.

Perhaps all of this attention has filled Wade's head some. You wouldn't notice if you were a Heat fan. He continues to work hard and play hard, but there are troubling signs here.

Namely, a lack of defensive intensity.

It seems as goes Wade, so goes the Heat. And the Heat have been all bark and not bite lately. Sure, they can heat it up quickly, and make big runs when they need to, but they are not getting back and playing good defense.

This is the area that Wade has yet to pass his tests. As long as other teams can score seemingly at will from the guard spots against Wade-led teams, his accomplishments will be cheapened. It isn't like Wade can't play defense - he can. He has the athletic ability, the smarts, the reach, the whole package. He just seems like he would prefer not to.

A lot is asked of Wade on the offensive side of the ball. He is the playmaker for the Heat and will carry the offense. So to ask him to shut down the opposing team's hottest player is a lot. But that is precisely what he needs to do as a superstar. He has the ability, and his team needs him to do it.

Watching the games the last few nights it is evident the Heat don't have a complete answer for stopping guards with a decent offensive reportoire. Yet, at a certain point Wade had had enough, and decided to stick Gordon - he then faced his man, blocked his shot, sent Gordon to the floor in the process AND the shot clock sounded. Heat ball.

That is the kind of intensity Jordan would display almost every night. He was the ultimate competitor. And this is what the Heat need from Wade - his competitive fire. He has it. We all saw it in the Finals in Game 3. He was not going to let his team punk out like they were.

And eveything changed.

It is now at the point of the season that it resembles game 3. Either take charge now, or the whole season - all the work - is for not. Wade needs to step up and lead his teammates - with or without Shaq. The Heat will follow and so will the wins.