Diesel-Powered Miami Heat

The Miami Heat have been playing recently without injured shooting guard Dwyane Wade. And quite frankly, they look more of a winner.

Without Dwyane Wade hogging the basketball, the Heat can now focus on ONE offensive option and that is Shaquille O'Neal.

They should've been doing this since day one.

Yes, Dwyane is indeed the hottest thing going on in Miami right now but Shaq, with his age, STILL gets the job done and there is still virtually no one in the league right now who can guard the big guy.

Shaq turned 34 last Monday, and if you think Shaq aging another year older will come out of the gates a step slower, then you have another thing coming.

Instead of taking a step closer towards retirement, Shaq went his way in improving the package that gave him three NBA championship rings. O'Neal turned 34, yes, but he also turned 326.

326 pounds.

From over 350 pounds, O'Neal dropped to a 326-pound frame as he prepares to make a run at another NBA Championship. It's hard to imagine how Shaq can be more dominant than he already is.

''He understands what he needs to do to get himself ready.'' Miami Heat head coach Pat Riley said.

''And I think he's very, very smart in what he's doing in dropping the weight and getting down to a point where it's going to extend his career. I think he understands that, even though he won't admit it,'' Riley added.

It is quite clear that the Miami Heat is serious in making a serious run at the NBA Championship. With a chiseled Shaquille O'Neal, the Heat will be hard to stop in the coming NBA Playoffs.