The Miami Herald blogs the following: Dwyane Wade said he recently updated national team coach Mike Krzyzewski on his conditioning. Wade said Tuesday the goal is still to work his surgically-repaired knee into shape in time for USA team training camp in July in advance of the Beijing Olympics. There is a chance that Wade could be replaced on the 12-man roster in favor another player - possibly Chris Paul - if his knee is not ready in time. “I’m meeting with Jerry as soon as I get back from here, and I’ve talked to Coach K. already,” Wade said. “His main thing is my health and to make sure I’m doing good. He also talked to my trainer, Tim Grover in Chicago, and we’re all on the same page. All I can do is continue to get stronger and leave the decision up to them.”

The Miami Herald (Michael Wallace) reports: New Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has visions of running an up-tempo, slashing, dunking offense that takes advantage of an athletic nucleus anchored by guard Dwyane Wade. But it’s going to require a gear Wade had been unable to reach the past two seasons. Wade began his latest — and what he hopes to be his last — rehabilitation on his troublesome left knee Monday in his hometown of Chicago, where he is working with Michael Jordan’s former trainer, Tim Grover. It is the latest step Wade has taken in an attempt to put two injury-plagued seasons behind and regain his more-explosive form from the Heat’s 2006 championship season, when Wade was named MVP of the NBA Finals.

The Miami Herald (Barry Jackson) reports: As he passes the coaching reins to Erik Spoelstra, Pat Riley plans to change his approach from when Stan Van Gundy was the coach. Reflecting in a quiet moment, Riley said, “I distanced myself, I thought, a little too much [from Van Gundy], not in a meddling way. I really showed too much respect, too much distance and wanted to stay absolutely out of the picture because it was his show.” Although Riley wants to give Spoelstra a lot of space, “I think there has to be more contact between me and the head coach on a regular basis, meet once every month or every two weeks.” And Riley said he must “have a more positive relationship” with his new coach: “I don’t think I ever gave Stan enough kudos because I never needed a pat on the back. When you’re in that position, you never expect one. That’s probably where I’ll come in more than I did the last time.”

It’s the NBA playoffs and a very important question not just for basketball but all of humanity has been answered.
The AP reports: Dwyane Wade has finally spoken up about his alleged romance with Star Jones: “Star is an unbelievable woman. We have a great, great relationship. As friends.” “We’re friends, just like a lot of celebrities. We are friends,” the Miami Heat star said Thursday during a guest appearance on “Inside the NBA,” the jocular TNT show featuring Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. “Are y’all close friends?” Smith asked. “We’re good friends,” Wade responded.

In addition to ranking as Miami’s all-time victory leader, Pat Riley ranks third on the NBA’s all-time regular season list, compiling a 1,210-694 (.636) career mark in 24 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Miami Heat. He also ranks second on the all-time postseason victory list, amassing a 171-111 (.606) mark. Riley, who was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this month, led his teams to five NBA championships as a head coach, nine conference championships and a league-record 18 division championships. He is the only coach in league history to capture the NBA Coach of the Year Award with three different teams and his string of 19 consecutive playoff appearances as a head coach from 1982-2001 is a league record for consecutive postseason appearances.
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