This game against CSKA Moscow is almost meaningless when you watch it. There is no team in the league that plays the style that these international teams play, and defensively they're difficult to break down because they're just different -- a lot of random zones, and frankly they're more disciplined defensively than a lot of NBA players. But the point is, the Heat will never face anything like this in the NBA season, so there's not much you can take from it.
It was almost predictable that the Heat would open up by taking too many outside jumpers and give up too many open ones. Then, also predictable, you'd eventually see the competitive nature of the Heat's guys finally kick in and then the talent would take over.
One question that did come up from a colleague while watching the game was this: How long will it take for people to start saying that Wade is the better player than LeBron? (the question came up after LeBron kept settling for jumpers against the Russian team)
It's an interesting question, and one that we've talked about locally for the past several years while the rest of the country was comparing LeBron with Kobe.
Here's my take, and I've said this a lot over the past few years. Dwyane, because he's smaller, a tad quicker and has better ball handling skills, can get to spots on the floor significantly easier than LeBron, who's so big and can't squeeze into spaces that Dwyane can. Dwyane also has a better mid-range jumper than LeBron, who's still fairly inconsistent with his. Assuming that remains true this season, and why wouldn't it, there will be times when it looks like Dwyane is, flat-out, the better player. But the truth is, they're just so different that it's hard to compare.
LeBron's physical gifts make him such a force that he's unstoppable in different ways. Against this CSKA team, Wade would've been able to maneuver through the defense so much better than LeBron, and that might have translated into the Heat not struggling in the first half. But as you saw with LeBron in the second half, he can just overpower you and take over a game that way. The best comparison/compliment I've ever heard about LeBron is he's the Shaq of perimeter players. It's so true. LeBron is Shaq, Dwyane is Hakeem Olajuwon. Who would you rather have in his prime of those two centers? It's a total toss-up. You can honestly make an argument for either guy, just like you probably can with Dwyane and LeBron...... AS I WRITE THIS, LEBRON IS WALKING OFF THE COURT WITH A TWEAKED RIGHT HAMSTRING, SO HIM AND DWYANE HAVE THAT IN COMMON AS WELL. THEY'RE CALLING MUSCLE CRAMPS, THOUGH, SO IT'S PROBABLY NOTHING. I WOULDN'T EXPECT TO SEE HIM TOMORROW AGAINST THE HORNETS THOUGH......
Then there's the idea that Wade has averaged more steals and blocked shots than LeBron over their careers. Another thing I found interesting as I sifted through the career-highs of both LeBron and Dwyane is that Dwyane's career high in assists, both in the regular season and playoffs, is higher than LeBron's. But I'm not sure what that really says.
So, anyway, at least that whole Dwyane-LeBron conversation is one positive that came out of this night.
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