Wade Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

MIAMI, Nov. 8 – Miami HEAT guard Dwyane Wade was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week this afternoon after leading the HEAT to a perfect 3-0 mark in the opening week of the season. Wade led the HEAT to double-digit road wins at both New Jersey and Washington and a six-point home victory over Cleveland. This marks the 14th time in franchise history a Miami player has earned Player of the Week honors. Wade, who also earned the league honors for the week ending Feb. 22, 2004, became just the third HEAT player to capture multiple Player of the Week honors joining Alonzo Mourning (five times) and Rony Seikaly (twice). Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week.

In three games last week the 6’4”, 212-pound second-year guard averaged 28.7 points, 7.7 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 1.67 steals, 1.00 blocks and 40.0 minutes. Wade, who scored at least 20 points and shot at least 50 percent from the floor in each of the three games, connected on 56 percent (28-50) of his field goal attempts and 80.6 percent (29-36) of his free throw attempts. His 86 points scored in the first three games tied the HEAT franchise record, set by Alonzo Mourning in the 1996-97 campaign, for most points scored in the first three games of the season. He led the HEAT in both scoring and assists in all three games and also topped the squad in minutes twice and blocks and steals once each. This marked just the fifth time in franchise history the same player led the HEAT in scoring in each of the first three games of the season, the first time since Mourning accomplished the feat in 2001-02.

Wade, who was a unanimous NBA All-Rookie First Team selection last season, recorded career highs in points (game-high 37) and assists (game-high 12) at Washington on Nov. 6 and also grabbed eight rebounds and recorded one steal in a team-high 43 minutes. Additionally he tied his career high in free throws made (14) and defensive rebounds (eight). The double-double he recorded was his second in regular season play. The 37-point effort was the fourth 30-point game of his career and the HEAT have won all four games. His 37 points were the most by a HEAT player since Eddie Jones scored a career-high 38 points against Golden State on Dec. 14, 2002. Against Cleveland on Nov. 4 in the HEAT’s nationally televised home opener, Wade scored a game-high 28 points and totaled six rebounds, a team-high five assists, a game-high three steals and a game- and career-high three blocks in 41 minutes. The sensational sophomore opened the 2004-05 season with a game-high 21-point performance against New Jersey on Nov. 3. In that contest he also handed out a team-high six assists, grabbed five rebounds and registered one steal in 36 minutes in Miami’s 23-point win. The victory at New Jersey snapped Miami’s six-game road losing streak to the Nets and marked the first time in franchise history the HEAT opened the season with a road win.