Jermaine O’Neal has been playing some very good basketball in the month of February and has really stepped it up the past few games with Dwyane Wade out.  O’Neal is only averaging 13.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks on the season.  This month has been much better for O’Neal though, with him averaging 16.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks.  He has scored 18 or more points in five of the last six games and kept the Heat from falling apart with D. Wade out.  They are 2-2 without Wade and O’Neal is the main reason why.  O’Neal has had a lot of injury problems the past few years though, and has been playing through a strained back lately.  If O’Neal can stay healthy and keep up this productive play, it could really help the Heat make a surge in the Eastern Conference playoff picture when Wade returns.

The Miami Heat’s superstar guard Dwyane Wade has missed three straight games with a calf injury.  Wade injured his calf early in the game against the New Jersey Nets on 2/17 but the injury is not deemed serious.  He had an MRI on the calf and it revealed a minor strain, and no tears or long-term damage.  The problem with a calf strain is that it is similar to an injury like a hamstring strain, meaning that it can linger for quite a while if it doesn’t get enough rest.  The Heat need Wade as he is averaging 26.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks this season.  They don’t want to rush it though and make the injury worse, so they are “cautiously optimistic” that Wade could be back as early as this weekend.  Don’t be surprised if Wade is out longer though.

If the Heat is going to really commit to Joel Anthony as the backup center then they need him to produce more when he is on the court. He has played in 52 games (7 starts) for the Heat this season and he is averaging 15.3 minutes, 2.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game. Anthony is a good defensive player but the Heat need him to hit the boards more and give them a little bit of offense.

Point guard Rafer Alston has been pretty awful for the Heat since coming over from the Nets in a trade. He has played in 18 games (all starts) for the Heats this season and he is averaging 28.1 minutes, 7.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Alston is only shooting 36.1% from the floor, 36.1% from three point range and 54.2% from the free throw line with the Heat. The Heat would really benefit if Alston passed the ball more instead of being selfish and heaving up bricks at the rim, but I don’t think it’s in him.

Small forward Daequan Cook is shooting so many bricks that the Heat can’t really afford to play him too much. He is shooting only 30.1% from the floor and 31.3% from three point range this season. He has played in 29 games (0 starts) for the Heat this season and he is averaging 14.8 minutes, 4.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Patience is starting to wear thin for Heat management with Cook who just hasn’t played too well at the NBA level despite being a first round pick just a couple of years ago.