THE OPPONENT

Wade takes about an equal number of shots from 10 feet and closer as he does from 16 feet and further. (He also takes a couple shots from 10-15 feet, but I'm talking about close shots and far shots.) From within 10 feet of the basket, his effective field goal percentage is .598. From 16+ feet, it's .414. And never mind all the fouls he draws, most of which, one can assume, come in the paint. This is not rocket science. He can hit mid-range jumpers. But should he hit one, that is not license to defend the jumper more closely. Always defend the drive against Wade. Always. Let him shoot.

In Sacramento in early December, he got shots at the rim seven times, scoring 10 points. He also earned a total of 16 FTAs (14 FTMs), and again, we can assume the lion's share came due to penetration. Stop that! Have early help ready, and slag off him a touch when he gets the ball facing the hoop. No one can ever really stop a locked-in Wade, but you should at least try to prevent his superpowers from taking shape.

LAST TIME

Wade went off, Evans (30 pts) and Greene (21 pts) weren't enough, and the Kings lost badly.

KEY BATTLE

On the other end, well, I've given my scouting report on stopping Wade. Plotting from the armchair and executing on the hardwood are, of course, related in no way.

BOLD PROCLAMATION

The "Miami flu" will not rear its ugly head on the Kings for the first time since roughly Nineteen Eighty Never.

BOLD BROCKLAMATION

DETAILS

4:30 PM tip. THERE WILL BE A GAME THREAD! And a post-game thread, at 7:15. Again, sorry about the idiocy this week from Yours Truly. I'm a bad blogger. My punishment poem for Peaches coming shortly.