Die Macht » R NOVAIvan Nova makes his Pittsburgh debu

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wades knee problems were more troublesome during the playoffs than he ever acknowledged. In an interview with The Associated Press, Wade revealed Saturday that his right knee pained him so much that he contemplated asking to play limited minutes in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, and that his left knee was drained and required about eight hours of game-day therapy just so he could play in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. "I went through a lot," said Wade, whos now a three-time NBA champion. "But Im at peace now." Wade also received platelet-rich plasma therapy late in the regular season to combat three bone bruises around his right knee, which was his biggest source of frustration and pain during the playoffs. Wade said two of the bruises healed, but a third -- directly under the kneecap -- remained a big problem, especially since that area was also affected by tendinitis. Wade underwent an MRI to rule out additional problems during the East finals against Indiana, and said he was driving into a meeting with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra before Game 7 of that series -- not long after saying in the immediate aftermath of the Game 6 loss to the Pacers that he needed the ball more -- to tell him that he felt he should only play short minutes because his ineffectiveness was hurting the team. Spoelstra had other ideas, and Wade decided to scrap his plan. "I felt like if I was going to be playing the way I was playing, and hurting the way I was hurting, I wasnt going to be able to help us move on to the next round," Wade said. "I was going to say play me short minutes only, and give Mike Miller and guys other opportunities. But I came into the meeting, and all Spo was about was giving me more opportunities and getting me ways to be more successful. So I was like, Well, changed my mind." Following the MRI that was done late in the Indiana series, Wade said the teams athletic trainers amended his treatment plan slightly, and he started seeing immediate improvement. He scored 21 points in the East-clincher against the Pacers, then scored a total of 57 points -- by far his best two-game stretch of the playoffs -- in Games 4 and 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. But early in Game 6 of the title series, Wades collided with the Spurs Manu Ginobili. Before long, Wades surgically repaired left knee, which kept him out of last summers London Olympics, had swollen up "like a coconut." He needed treatment during the game, even missing the start of the second half. Wade got a large amount of fluid drained from the knee on Wednesday, then got more than three hours of treatment at the arena Thursday morning and about 4 1/2 more hours of work done in the afternoon, going almost all the way up to the moment the Heat took the floor to warm up for Game 7. Wade played 39 minutes in the finale, scoring 23 points on 11 for 21 shooting. "We know what he was dealing with," Spoelstra said after Game 7. "Really, he should be commended for being out there and doing whatever it takes, putting himself out there for criticism, possible criticism, because he wasnt 100 per cent. And he just helped us win. That was the bottom line. It was a selfless effort for two months. And some players probably wouldnt have played." Wade said the right knee pain was at times the second-worst thing hes dealt with, injury-wise, in his 10-year career, behind only the shoulder he dislocated in 2007 in an awkward collision with then-Houston forward and current Heat teammate Shane Battier. The late-season knee problems took some shine off a year where Wade averaged 21.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists on a career-best 52 per cent shooting, yet still had his skills often questioned. Only Heat teammate LeBron James, Oklahoma Citys Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant averaged as much in all three of those categories this season as Wade did. "The toughest part of it is, you work all season to get healthy coming off of knee surgery," Wade said. "And when I finally got the way, everybody saw in my play that I was playing great, some of the best basketball in the role I have on this team. Then I get the bone bruises, and something I worked hard for was getting taken away, and I dealt with it for three months. It was disappointing, frustrating. It hurt. I was able to mask it some nights. Some nights, not." In the end, it was all worthwhile. Wade will soon be getting his third ring -- "3 for No. 3," as the shirts many of his friends wore amid the Heat celebration pointed out. "Selfishly, Im going to say we won this one for me," Wade said. "Because of the way my career has gone and the things Ive dealt with personally, I wanted this third one. In my mind, it validates the player Ive become in this league. When you change your position, going from being talked about as one of the three best players in this game to people questioning your ability, I needed this one to validate that what I did was the right thing. I can be at peace with anything going forward." Wholesale NBA Jerseys . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). NBA Jerseys China . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/ . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Clearance NBA Jerseys . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. NBA Jerseys Outlet . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. A look at whats happening all around the majors Saturday:---SUPER STEPHENWashington ace Stephen Strasburg goes for his major league-leading 16th win, starting at home against the Giants in a matchup of NL division leaders. Strasburg (15-1, 2.63) could set a career high for wins with a victory.JAKES JAMJake Arrieta is 0-3 in his last five starts for the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs. The Cy Young Award winner (12-5, 2.75 ERA) tries to get back into the victory column when he starts at Oakland.NEWCOMER NOVAIvan Nova makes his Pittsburgh debut, starting at PNC Park against Cincinnati. The right-hander was 7-6 with a 4.90 ERA for the New York Yankees when they sent him to the Pirates before Mondays trade deadline for two players to be named.STILL STARTINGAaron Sanchez (11-1, 2.71) starts for Toronto against Kansas City after his role with the team was publicly debated this week. General manager Ross Atkinns said Monday that the Blue Jays were moving the All-Star righty to the bullpen to limit his innings.dddddddddddd That move was met by criticism from the fan base, and Toronto then changed course, announcing a six-man rotation that keeps the 24-year-old starting but still limits his workload.MAJOR STREAK IN MINOR LEAGUESIndians prospect Francisco Mejia has the longest hitting streak in the minor leagues in 62 years, and hell try to stretch his run to 48 games when Class A Lynchburg faces Salem. The 20-year-old catcher is still well short of Joe Wilhoits record 69-game streak set with Wichita in 1919. Joe DiMaggio was Wilhoits closest challenger when he hit safely in 61 straight games in 1933, and Roman Mejias has the third longest streak at 55 games, set with Waco in 1954. ' ' '