The Read of Sheed

In the 2007 East finals, Wallace’s anger management issues were at the heart of the discussion. So it speaks to his unique personality that very next year it’s Wallace curious, almost chummy, demeanor with the Philadelphia 76ers that has piqued the media’s curiosity.

In the course of scoring a game-high 24 points, grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking 7 shots in the playoff opener Sunday, Wallace also chatted up the Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks and the Philly bench. Then he interjected his head into the Philadelphia huddle during a critical last-minute timeout.

Was he trying to get in the Sixers heads? Was he merely trying to psych himself up? Neither, said Cheeks, who coached Wallace for 1 ½ seasons in Portland from 2002-04. Sheed was doing what Sheed does: having fun.

“Rasheed is a guy that goes out; he has fun with you when he’s playing on the court and I don’t think you can take it as any more than that,” Cheeks said. “I think he understands the things he needs to do on the court, and he just has a good time with the game. And I think sometimes we take it out of context, the things that he’s trying to do. I mean, he’s not the only guy who’s stuck his head in a huddle and done things like that. But because it’s Rasheed I think it kind of gets blown out of proportion.”

Cheeks said he welcomes the playful exchanges with Wallace, like this one from the first quarter. “He was trying to tell me to get Thaddeus Young off [Antonio] McDyess,” Cheeks said. “He was trying to tell me because they were going to keep going at him. And I was telling him that Thaddeus has been good all season long so if go at him, you’re just going to have to go at him. There’s nothing wrong intentionally by Rasheed. The things that he does, the things that he says, it’s all in fun. But he still knows the things he needs to do.”

And that’s why Wallace’s own coach, Flip Saunders, has a similar view of Wallace’s court behavior. “He’s caught some criticism from people from the last game, but I thought he had a great game,” Saunders said. “That’s his personality. The game should be fun. Guys that are extremely talented, the game comes somewhat easy to them, that’s kind of their outlet that keeps them motivated. So he’s a guy that’s always been like that and people always question what he does, but he produces.”

Limiting that production is a challenge that Sixers center Samuel Dalembert said he looks forward to. The sixth-year vet remembers Wallace had a similar persona when these teams met in the first round three years ago. As Dalembert tells it, the gamesmanship between the two centers is good for a laugh, too.

“I’m used to it since the first playoff game I played against him,” he said. “He talk a lot, he do talk a lot and he do keep holding you down and doing that little old-school trick on you. Once in a while I start laughing and he’s laughing back and I say, ‘Man, you’re still doing that stuff after all these years?’” You know, that’s him. He does whatever it takes to give his team a little advantage.”

Sixers point guard Andre Miller also enjoys a good Sheed show. “I didn’t even really make a big deal out of it, him being in the huddle. I really wasn’t paying attention [to him],” he said. “He makes the game fun to me, just by some of the things that he does. It’s not a distraction for our team. It’s all fun. He definitely makes the game fun and he knows when to turn it on and turn it off.”

But does he? The most common critique of Wallace’s game - deservedly or not - is that he lets his competitive fire burn too bright, resulting in too much talking, shooting too many 3-pointers, or both. The Sixers are fine with the talking - and they wouldn’t mind the 3-pointers, either.

Dalembert said the game plan is for Wallace “to get as much touches as possible,” in hopes the Pistons center falls in love with his perimeter shooting and leaves fewer chances for Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince. After starting 4-for-6 from the field - all from within the arc - Wallace shot 33 percent (5-of-15) the next three quarters, including 2-of-6 from 3-point range.

“He’s a great player, no disrespect to Rasheed but I would rather him get more touches,” Dalembert said. “If he’s going to keep shooting those fadeaways, you know what I’m saying, I’ll take that any day.”

In other words, the 76ers don’t mind Sheed being Sheed … if it gives them the last laugh.