Dwyane Wade Is One Of The Greatest Two Guards Of All Time, Says Knicks Guard Dennis Smith Jr.
The Dallas Mavericks are getting ready to take on the Miami Heat for the first of the two final games against longtime rival Dwyane Wade on February 12, 2019. The rivalry dates back to the 2006 NBA Finals, a series that saw the Dallas Mavericks win the first two games on their home floor, but would go on to lose the next four games to the Heat. The Heat would hoist the trophy on the Mavericks home court, but it did not come without controversy. NBA insiders such as Bill Simmons and others talked about how the officiating in that series favored Finals MVP Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. The two games in particular that are in question are games five in Miami and game six in Dallas, which featured Wade at the free-throw line 20 plus times in game five alone and game six it was more of the same.
Former Dallas Mavericks’ guard Jason “The Jet” Terry was a guest Mavs Fanatic Pod this past summer. During that podcast, Terry stated during their two to zero lead on the Heat in 05-06,” We were up two to zero, we already had the parade route set. We were celebrating, guys were loose, we were picking out the type of rings we were going to have, and then within a weeks span, it was over, ” said Terry. Miami got the opportunity to celebrate on the Mavericks home floor after beating the Mavs in six games.
Well, Dallas was able to get some revenge five years later in Miami in 2011, as they beat the Heat in six games. Jason Terry, Dirk Nowitzki, and Jason Kidd helped lead the Mavericks to their first championship in franchise history.
Fast Forward eight years, Dwyane Wade will be visiting Dallas for the last time in his career, before the season he announced that this would be his last dance. Dallas Maverick future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki has not officially announced that this will be his final season, but this could be one of the last times we can see both of these legends on the same court again in uniform.
Recently, I spoke to former Maverick, and now New York Dennis Smith Jr. and asked him what the NBA will miss about Dwyane Wade.
“Just everything about him. His explosiveness, charisma, shot blocking ability from the guard position. Everything that he brings to the game he is one of the greatest two guards of all-time. He is going to be missed. He has influenced a lot of players in the league as well. He has definitely made his impact,” Smith told me.
I also asked Smith, what has he learned from Dwyane Wade since he has been in the league:
“I have not really had the chance to wrap with D Wade. I really haven’t had the chance to wrap with him. I seen him show love a couple time on Twitter my rookie year. I thought it was pretty dope. My sister favorite player ever, so I salute D Wade on everything he’s done,” says Smith.
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