Eastern Conference Insider: Flash is back

It started in Beijing when he led the U.S. men's team to a gold medal by leading the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game. It has continued back in the States where he leads the NBA in scoring.

In case you hadn't noticed -- and it should be obvious to everyone by now: Flash is back.

Dwyane Wade's 37-point, 13-dime performance in Miami's exhilarating overtime win at Golden State on Monday was just another in a long line of stellar performances this season. But is he better than ever? You could make that case, as Wade has been getting it done for the 9-9 Heat on both ends of the floor. Why? One NBA general manager explains.

"Obviously his health is the primary difference," the GM said. "He took the time required to get his body right and it's paying off for the Heat."

Despite the padded undershirts and undershorts he wears under his uni, Wade's reckless abandon has taken a toll during his career. He has never played more than 77 games in a season and has missed 62 games in the last two seasons combined, including the Heat's final 21 games of the 2007-08 season, with left knee tendinitis.

But Wade, conscious that the philosophy of "fall down seven times, get up eight" may put his career down for the count, has added a new weapon to his arsenal: a jump shot.

"It keeps you off the floor, and it keeps you from getting banged up as much," Wade told Chris Perkins of the Palm Beach Post.

For Wade, practice made him comfortable outside of his usual comfort zone.

"I worked on my spots where I was going to get the ball," Wade told the Palm Beach Post. "And when the time came for me to shoot it I was already comfortable with it."

Wade's new-found love for the J hasn't stunted his much-heralded ability to get to the line. He can still get to the rack with the best of them. Wade's 177 free-throw attempts in 18 games (9.83 per game) puts him second in the NBA behind Orlando's Dwight Howard. Being able to score from anywhere on the court has no doubt helped Wade take over the NBA's scoring lead with 28.7 points per game, which would eclipse the 27.2 average in 2005-06 when he finished fifth in the NBA in scoring.

Wade's experience in Beijing also provided a springboard for this season.

"The Olympic experience was also a great way for him to get back his basketball feel and confidence in his body," said the GM.

In addition to leading the league in scoring, Wade has flipped the switch on defense as well. Wade is second in the league behind New Orleans' Chris Paul in steals with 2.47 per game and is an amazing seventh in the league with 31 blocks, tied with Charlotte's Emeka Okafor and ahead of centers Ben Wallace, Chris Kaman, Yao Ming and Andris Biedrins.

"He's as a good as anyone in anticipating when to gamble and when not to gamble," one NBA scout said. "And he's not only blocking shots on smalls [guards], but bigs as well.

"He's been blocking shots from double teams, from weakside help. His anticipation there has been unbelievable. He's as good as anybody in the league at understanding what teams are trying to do."

Wade has played in all of Miami's 18 games. Can he make it through another 64?

"I do think he can stay healthy for a whole 82," said the scout. "What [Erik] Spoelstra has done is made sure Wade's got his rest during games, and he's got a regular rotation going. Wade's not playing 42 minutes a game.

"So, I do think he can stay healthy and I hope he can."

Very Little Lee-Way

David Lee's career-high 37 points didn't impress Mike D'Antoni. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni likes his players to push the ball. He would also like his players to push themselves. After the Knicks pummeled the Warriors 138-125 on Saturday, NBA.com's John Schuhmann recorded these gems when someone asked D'Antoni about David Lee's 37-point, 21-rebound performance in that game.

"I was a little peeved that players ..." D'Antoni said with a straight face. "Like David Lee, 37 and 21. Sometimes, I think it's almost when they get a little higher, they go, 'Oh my gosh, I've got 30 points.' He should have had 50 and 28. But we'll get there."

D'Antoni sees Lee as someone who can become a force on offense. Lee just needs to believe he can do it.

"He should be. The guy plays hard and he's got some talent," D'Antoni said. "Again, he should get used to scoring a lot of points and getting a lot of rebounds. He comes hungry, but it's just believing in himself, and everybody else on the team, the same way."

Now that Zach Randolph is putting up his double-doubles for the Clippers in L.A., Lee is New York's only post player with offensive firepower. He'll be getting his chances.

"He shoots the ball well," D'Antoni said.. "At the foul line, he's good. He can definitely catch and finish. And he's one of our best passers. The ball should go through him a lot. He gets a lot of people involved and he's a valuable asset, no doubt."

Watch for a lot of pick-and-roll situations with Lee and point guard Chris Duhon (a la Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire) in the Knicks' future.

AI Again

I'll be at the Garden on Sunday, Dec. 7 to get a first-hand look at the Pistons with Allen Iverson. It'll be my second viewing with AI in red, white and blue.

I saw his debut with Detroit at the IZOD Center in New Jersey, and the Nets' Devin Harris stole the show with 38 points, which included an amazing 20-of-24 performance from the free throw line.

I knew it would take the Pistons awhile to incorporate AI into the fold, but it's been tougher than expected. The Pistons are 6-5 in Iverson's 11 games with the team. That, and the Pistons are 0-4 in all Sunday games with Iverson.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Hawks could get Josh Smith back in the lineup as early as Wednesday. ... Congrats to Bucks coach Scott Skiles. He's been chosen for induction into the 2009 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame class. ... You really can't argue with the following: Cleveland's LeBron James as Eastern Conference Player of the Month; Boston's Doc Rivers as Eastern Conference Coach of the Month and Chicago's Derrick Rose as the conference's Rookie of the Month. James is No. 1 in NBA.com's Race to the MVP and Rose is No. 1 in NBA.com's T-Mobile Rookie Rankings. ...