WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- Before game one of the NBA Finals, some co-workers nearly exiled me from the WUSA-9 sports department for calling Dwyane Wade overrated.
That statement doesn't mean I think he's a bad player, it just means people are overvaluing his importance more than guys that I think are at least his equal -- Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook etc.
The Heat's 105-94 opening loss in Oklahoma City can't entirely be blamed on Wade. But if he is this automatically top-five NBA player -- like most of you insist -- he better show it this series.
NewsOK.com Anthony Slater depicts Wade's struggles.
In his past five games, dating to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference
Finals, Wade's offense has been uncharacteristically sluggish, shooting
38-of-97 (39 percent) from the field.
"Some nights I have big nights scoring
and some nights I don't," Wade said. "That's just the season. That's the
way it's been designed for me."
Hmm. "That's the way it's been designed for me," sounds to me like Wade isn't thrilled with his new role. If you were paying attention early in the first quarter, ESPN ran a cutaway to Wade saying "He's passing the baton to LeBron this series."
So far in the playoffs, Wade has managed just two breakout games, and both were against the Indiana Pacers. He's hitting just 25 percent of his three-pointers and is averaging three turnovers per contest.
I think we can all agree on this: If D-Wade continues to play this lethargically, and the Thunder streak to a title, Russell Westbrook will be replacing Wade as a top-five NBA player.