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Wade won’t play against Suns after oral surgery

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From the Associated Press

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade had two wisdom teeth removed Tuesday and will sit out tonight’s game against the visiting Phoenix Suns.

Wade -- averaging 28 points, fifth in the NBA -- did not practice Tuesday. He began experiencing pain last week, and visited dentists three times before the decision was made to extract the teeth.

The team said Wade would be evaluated daily and could play Friday at Washington.

Wade’s absence means the Heat will be without its two best players -- Shaquille O’Neal is recovering from knee surgery -- against the Suns, who have won 11 in a row.

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Though he still didn’t specify what “evident progress” is, Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan said that New York Knicks Coach Isiah Thomas has the full season to show it.

The bad news? His boss hasn’t seen it yet.

“If we end up the season where we are now, in terms of this development, I think we would all be disappointed,” Dolan said. “I don’t mean in terms of the record, just, I mean, in terms of the execution of the team, the performance of the team.”

Dolan spoke to the media for the first time since June, when he gave Thomas one season as coach to show evident progress with the players he assembled as team president or be out of both jobs.

“I’m not going to give you today a number, a win-loss record, into the playoffs, etc. on Isiah in determination of what is progress,” Dolan said.

The Knicks, 23-59 last season before firing Larry Brown, are 8-15 with a 3-9 home record.

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