Tuesday, January 15th, 2013 at 10:25 am  |  68 responses

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh Benched During Loss to Utah Jazz


by Marcel Mutoni / @ marcel_mutoni

The Miami Heat dropped a game in Utah last night, falling 104-97 to the Jazz and their rabid fans.

The Heat continue to sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, but there is growing tension and frustration within the defending champions’ locker room. Head coach Erik Spoelstra benched Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the fourth quarter, as the Heat staged a furious comeback that ultimately fell short.

Wade’s postgame words were short and to the point, but his body language was telling.

Per ESPN:

The Heat are out of focus and they’re sniping. At their coach, Erik Spoelstra. At each other. Probably at their friends and loved ones, too. Wade’s been in the middle of it a few times on the trip. Last week in Indianapolis, he scored 23 points in the first half of a game and then didn’t get a shot in the third quarter. Monday, he didn’t play in the fourth quarter — calling it a benching isn’t accurate — when Spoelstra decided to play James with four bench players as the Heat attempted a rally that fell short.

“I don’t know, I just always stay ready,” Wade said curtly but not disrespectfully, much like he treated his disappearance from the offense in the loss in Indiana. “Coach makes the calls. I’m just a player.” Wade’s body language said enough. Before the Heat left on this trip, Wade was asked if he missed the days of taking 20 to 25 shots a game. The days before James and Bosh and being relegated to the third option some nights. Wade’s response: “Every day.” A few days ago, Bosh said the Heat weren’t doing enough to ride players with “hot hands” after he was forgotten in the offense during a night when he shot 13-for-18 in a loss at Portland. He was referring to himself and Wade, the direction of the comment not being clear.

Utah outrebounded Miami 40-23 and annihilated them on second-chance points 19-0, signs that the Jazz played with more energy.

The Heat may be angry with one another during these bumps in the road, but it’s no indication that their title defense is in trouble. One would expect them to work through these issues by the time the Playoffs roll around.

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  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    A link is necessary because I didn’t confirm anything. I simply said that IF Wade did beg other players to play with him, it still doesn’t mean that it was easy for him to change his game. You can’t provide a good source because he didn’t beg anyone. He recruited which isn’t begging. Adding to his game and changing his game are two different things. LeBron added to his game, he didn’t change anything. Big difference there. Unless you’re in Wade’s position, you can’t really say anything about how tough it may or may not be for him to change his game that’s worth reading.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Begged who? When? Your favorite player, LeBron, wasn’t begged. Three friends decided to play together. That’s what happened.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Legacy? 2 Championships (the first as the best player on the team with a great run in the Finals, the 2nd as the 2nd best player on the team), future Hall of Famer, one of the best 2 guards to ever pick up a basketball…still a pretty great legacy. Don’t know what you’re talking about.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Dude called you the online Skip Bayless? Wow.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    That whole “Long live the King” thing has been played out dude. Pretty corny. Wade is the main reason why LeBron is in Miami. He wanted to play with Wade. Wade could have retired after the 2008-2009 season before LeBron and Bosh got to Miami and would have still been a Hall of Famer. What he’s done with LeBron has just been icing on the cake.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    yeah apparently i just spout a nonsensical opinion and present it as a fact, every. single. day. lol

  • HandsMcGee

    U can’t live on last year’s championship.. Look at Dalls after they won their one, then get crushed by Miami in the 1st game of the next season

  • LakeShow

    Gotta appreciate people that have their opinions and stick to them
    …… Or not lol…

  • LakeShow

    FTW

  • The Philosopher

    So, The King “adding” to his game doesn’t change anything?
    Interesting. Becomes a reliable threat from the post. Becomes a reliable, and a more consistent shooter from the perimeter.
    That is change. He added those variables to his game.
    Doesn’t change how people guard him? Doesn’t change how teams study tape of him?
    I feel you…
    And yes, you did confirm. Wade recruiting, publicly asking for help, begging, etc… It may be in a type of form to where one may call it something else, entirely. It may be semantics. But as is such…
    And again, with all due respect, when did I say it is easy for a player to “change” their game? Never said that it was easy. I agree with you. It can be, and it usually is, difficult for a player to change their game. Especially for a player who is a decade into their respective career.

  • The Philosopher

    Never said that Wade is not a Hall of Fame talent. Are you putting words into my comments there, ByAnyMeansNecessary? If you are, then, you are practicing intellectual dishonesty. In my humblest of opinion(s).
    And, please do not become upset about my line. You are not the only person who comments on this site who finds distaste for that line. I understand, respect, AND appreciate your feelings for the line. You have feelings. And I acknowledge it.
    But again, please do not let a simple line alter your emotional equilibrium. If it is altering your mood, then, maybe you should partake in some meditation. Some counsel, perhaps.

  • Clos1881

    Lebron has asshole tendecies as will ie the they he reacts when something goes wrong on the court his body language is its everyone except me

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    You should come up with a new name because a man who goes around saying “Long Live the King” on any post that’s about LeBron James is anything but a philosopher. Use all of the nice phrases such as “intellectual dishonesty” and “emotional equilibrium” if you want, but anyone with any good sense who reads what you have to say can easily see that there’s nothing profound about your comments here. If you honestly see yourself as a philosopher, I’m not the one who needs the counsel…you are.

  • The Philosopher

    Ha! You are still stressed out. And without a rebuttal.
    Check mate.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Without a rebuttal? Did you not read what I wrote? That’s called a rebuttal. When someone responds to you, it’s a rebuttal. What kind of “philosopher” doesn’t know what a rebuttal is? You said Wade is jealous of LeBron which makes absolutely no sense since Miami is still his city. He won them their first championship. LeBron is the best player, but Miami is Wade’s city. He went to Miami to play with Wade. He had to be told by Wade to carry the team. He didn’t take over until Wade told him that he should. These are facts. Nothing to be jealous about. Wade’s legacy was set without the 2nd championship. Regular season stats of 25, 6 and 7. Special run in the 06 Finals. Hall of Famer already before last season. So LeBron needed Wade more than Wade needed LeBron.

  • The Philosopher

    An insult is a rebuttal?
    Wow. Learned something new today, good brother.
    And Miami is not Wade’s city. Miami is not The King’s city, either. Miami is a city of the people, sir. Florida is a state of the people. The United States of America is a country of the people, sir.
    And again, I say this to you with respect… sir.

  • The Philosopher

    Also, sir, a rebuttal is when one makes a point to express that someone is wrong during a debate. It is a “no, you are wrong, and this is why” during a debate.
    You did not offer a rebuttal in our last exchange.
    You expressed yourself to me. About how you are stressed out about my name that I use on this site.
    Can you understand the difference, sir?
    Good.
    We shall teach each other.

  • The Philosopher

    And again, I am not disputing the Hall of Fame credentials of Dwyane Wade.
    You are engulfed in this topic of Wade being a Hall of Fame talent.
    What would you like me to say about Wade’s talent(s) on the basketball court?
    For, your feelings are relevant to me.
    I am a person of the people.

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