With the reloaded Wizards in town, D-Wade took over, scoring 41 points on 14-29 shooting. He hit 12-13 from the charity stripe and posted five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block en route to a 90-76 win over Washington.
Don’t look now, but the Miami Heat are off to a 6-1 start. The team was supposed to be just treading water until they can acquire some help for their superstar, but they’ve played well early in the season. And the main reason is Wade. He’s averaging 29.9 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game, and is shooting better than 45% from the field. If the Heat can win 50 games, he’ll be right in the thick of the MVP conversation.
Last night, the Spurs were down Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, who both sat with ankle injuries. But it didn’t matter because San Antonio had Manu Ginobili, who dropped 36 points on the unsuspecting Raptors. He shot 8-15 from the field, but hit 6-8 from long range and 14-16 of his free throws. He also posted eight assists, four rebounds and four blocks in the Spurs’ 131-124 win.
In just 31 minutes of playing time, Kevin Durant posted 28 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals in a 102-74 win over the Magic. Durant shot 11-17 from the field as the young Thunder upended a shorthanded Orlando team. (The Magic were without Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson due to sprained ankles, and Rashard Lewis is still suspended.)