Wade back with Shaq, but hurting again
Heat guard has tendinitis in left knee, says he won't dunk anymore
 | Udonis Haslem, Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal during pregame ceremonies on April 8. |
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The Heat expect to see Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade together in their starting lineup for the first time in nearly two months on Friday as they try to deal the Pacers a big blow to their playoff hopes.
Problem is, Wade is hurting again — but now it's the knee, not the left shoulder.
The star guard has left knee tendinitis after aggravating the injury slam dunking during the Heat's 85-82 victory over the Wizards on Wednesday, the Orlando Sentinel said Friday.
Wade told the Sentinel that he would rather sit out to rest the knee, but is playing through the pain to get his rhythm back after missing so much time with the shoulder injury.
"It's just real sore," Wade told the Sentinel in reference to the knee. "The only thing I can do is continue to do the therapy and then one day, I come in and it feels good. I know it's not going to go away; I am just looking for a little relief."
Heat coach Pat Riley told the paper that "when the adrenalin flows he really sort of plays through that."
Wade added that the knee has been hurting all season but got worse after he returned to action on April 8. He said he came down hard after Wednesday's dunk — his first slam since coming back.
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Miami’s chances of having the home-court edge in the opening round could end Friday if it loses this game while Toronto defeats Detroit.
Indiana, meanwhile, is within one game of Orlando for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers (35-43) do own the tiebreaker with the Magic, who have the night off Friday.
“We’re the hunters,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “We’re trying to stay in this thing and it’s not going to be easy.”
The Heat (43-36) could have had a much easier path to a postseason home-court advantage if they weren’t swept in a home-and-home set with the lowly Charlotte Bobcats earlier this week.
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