Miami
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Dwyane Wade has a crossover move that ranks right up there in amazing plays, behind the Julius Erving behind-the-backboard layup but ahead of the Michael Jordan right-to-left dunk-to-layup switch. Let's break it down and see why it is one of the most amazing moves of all time.
Let's describe this ankle-breaking phenomenon. Wade dribbles with his right hand, angling towards the right and keeping his defender in front of and slightly to the left of him. He plants his left foot as the ball bounces up into his right hand in the middle of a dribble. The rest of the action all takes place as the ball is in his right hand. He's not palming it; he's simply doing it so fast that the ball doesn't leave his hand until the crossover. The action itself, like all beautiful things, is simple and elegant: pivoting on his left foot which he has planted, he takes a gigantic step with his right foot, way past the defender. It's such a long step that Wade's left knee almost touches the floor.
At this point the defender thinks Wade is blowing right past him so he has to shuffle his feet faster than he could have expected to get Wade back in front of him. Many a defender has looked foolish trying to keep up with Wade at this point.
Now, with the defender either on the ground or off-balance towards the right, Wade brings the ball between his legs from the right to the left on a very controlled, very tight dribble. It's a reverse crossover in that if the usual crossover has the ball going between your legs such that your unchecked hand would slap your crotch, this is the other kind, the kind that when you do it your unchecked hand would slap your thigh. It's the way the kid in the movie about Pistol Pete dribbles the ball upcourt.
In any event, the crossover is made, and Wade is temporarily free. He could elect at this point to take a jump shot, but given his quickness, he continues to press his advantage and get further into the paint. When a bevy of defenders rotate over to help out, he takes one more dribble and does a jump stop, a pump fake, and a lean-in shot, resulting in a wide open ten foot jumper with three defenders in his wake.
It's simply an amazing move. It happens so fast you don't notice it.
Why is it behind the Dr. J behind the backboard layup? Because pretty much everything is. That move is insane.
Why is it ahead of the MJ right-to-left dunk-to-layup switch? Because that move accomplished nothing. Jordan could have dunked it with his right hand. Dr. J's amazing move, and Wade's amazing move, have a purpose.
NEXT GAME
Tonight, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat (30-13, first in the Southeast) can put his crossover move to good use against the Toronto Raptors (18-24, third in the Atlantic) up in Canada. The game starts at 7:00pm Eastern and will be broadcast on Sun Sports, Raptors Sports Net, and NBA League Pass.
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INJURY UPDATE
Malik Allen(back),Dorell Wright(abdominal), andJerome Beasley(back) are all on the injured list.
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