In 2004, Shaquille O'Neal joined the Miami Heat at the age of 32, still in his prime and fresh off leading the league in field goal percentage. Teaming up with a sophomore, Dwyane Wade , 'Diesel' made an immediate impact by averaging 22.9 points and a team-high 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Despite their duo leading the team to a 59-23 record in the regular season and averaging 46.6 points per game in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat lost 4-3 against the Detroit Pistons.
As The Big Aristotle still felt he had what it took to be the team's No. 1 star, Gary Payton provided him a bold yet honest reality check to play second fiddle to D-Wade.
Gary Payton's advice to Shaq
The 2005-06 season started turbulently, with the Heat posting a 19-15 record and partying ways with coach Stan Van Gundy after their first 21 games. In such a critical juncture, 37-year-old Gary Payton recognized the competitive fire within Shaq getting the better of him to be prioritized ahead of 'Flash.' Recognizing the need for change, 'The Glove' decided to control the three-time Finals MVP.
Though GP understood the difficulty in playing second fiddle to generational talents like him and O'Neal, he urged Shaq to embrace a veteran role if he wanted to attain a fourth championship. Consequently, he advised the 7'1" center to elevate Wade's potential to the top tier.
This realization helped Pat Riley's Miami to finish the regular season with a 52-30 record as the 7th best offensively rated team and ninth best defensively rated team.
"We were struggling from Day 1... I started seeing Shaq be mad about we're not getting him the ball," Payton said on The Draymond Green Show . "I just told, 'Shaq, listen here. Look what young fella did last year. You see how he took over stuff.… You guys lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. That's why Pat came and put all of us together; he wanted a championship. We're here now. We gotta stop this, man.' I said, 'We're gonna make him be the first tier. Period. You gotta do this for me.'"
Though it was difficult, Shaq understood GP's perspective. Not only did Shaq willingly reduce his time on the ball and his own statistics across all fronts to give Wade more time with the ball, but the 6'4" shooting guard also increased his field goal attempts and improved efficiency.
Wade took over in the playoffs
Observing his veteran teammates fill his voids and constantly encourage him, young Wade's performance reached legendary in the playoffs. Right from the first-round series against the Bulls, he averaged a series-high 24.7 points per game scoring average. Then, in the second-round series, he averaged a team-high 27.6 points per game. In the rematch against the Pistons, he once again led all the players in scoring before dropping a series-high scoring average of 34.7 points per game against the Mavs in the championship round.
While the Chicago native had all the support from his supporting cast, he was still required to bring out his 'A-Game' in every game. Seeing Wade deliver, Payton was all praise for him.
"When he agreed to it...man, D-Wade. I ain't ever seen nobody perform like this ever," Payton added. "This young kid was giving them the blues."
Related: "Wade is the best player ever” - When Shaq said Dwyane Wade was the best player he's ever seen
Local News
Comments / 0