Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 10:35 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Posted: 10:14 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2011

CHICAGO — Udonis Haslem got his wish.

The Heat power forward – trying to come back from a right foot injury that sidelined him for most of the season – wanted to play important minutes Wednesday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference championship series.

He wanted to do whatever he could do against Chicago.

Haslem indeed was a factor. He got early, important minutes when center Joel Anthony picked up two fouls in five minutes and back-up Jamaal Magloire was called for two in two, and the Heat went small with Haslem at center.

(Miami didn’t have many other options with Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Erick Dampier inactive again.)

The Heat gave up seven offensive rebounds before Haslem entered. During his first 12 minutes, the Bulls got none.

Still, Haslem is not close to being what he was before suffering the ligament tear.

He’s not capable of being a constant physical force or being the kind of maddening role player – tough and relentless on defense and on the boards – an opponent has to account for every minute he’s on the floor.

Haslem logged just more than four mop-up minutes Sunday night in the rout by Chicago, which overwhelmed the Heat with its aggressiveness and rebounding.

And, yes, it was difficult for Haslem to watch, because Miami so lacked precisely what Haslem provides when he’s at his best.

“I’m not claiming myself as a savior, but I feel like I can help,” Haslem said Wednesday afternoon at the Heat’s shootaround.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said only that using Haslem would be “an option.”

Hardly an endorsement.

“It’s not about who, it’s about what (they do),” Spoelstra said. “It’s about what we’re capable of. All hands are on deck.”

But it was hard for him to put Haslem in the Heat’s plans. Haslem had logged only seven official minutes on court since tearing a ligament Nov. 20.

“There’s a little bit of an unknown,” Spoelstra said. “He hasn’t been playing. He can’t get into a rhythm.”

It’s a vicious cycle.

Haslem needs to play to find that rhythm, but he is hindered by soreness the day after an active practice session. He worked hard in rehabilitation for the express purpose of being able to contribute in the playoffs, but until Wednesday night he had been relegated to the end of the bench.

“I understand where Spo is coming from,” Haslem said “It’s a critical series. I’ve been out a while, and we’ve had a formula that has been working pretty well.”

Sure, but the Bulls are testing it rather severely.

“As a competitor, I want to be out there,” Haslem said. “I’ve had conversations with Spo, and he asks me if I can play. I say, ‘Yeah.’ When I’m out there, I feel fine, but everything is timing.”

Spoelstra trusts Haslem to be honest with him, but the trust has its limits when it comes to assigning playing time.

So it was that Miami, searching for front-line answers to Chicago’s unique athleticism on the front line, went into Game 2 wondering whether Haslem could aid the effort.

He did.

But there remains no telling how involved Haslem will be for the remainder of the series.