Wade Reminds LeBron Who is Leader

Dave Pruitt, Sports Emerge
http://sportsemerge.com/

Dwyane Wade is averaging 29 points, 8.7 rebounds & 5 assist with LeBron James averaging 20.3 points, 6.7 rebounds & 6 assist throughout the 3 games of the NBA Finals.  With the game on the line LeBron passed the ball to Mario Chalmers only for him to lose control & turn the ball over.  Immediately, Wade got LeBron’s attention by giving him a shove or 2 & getting in his face reminding him that he’s won a championship before, mainly giving LeBron direction.  LeBron didn’t have that in Cleveland with the Cavs, he didn’t have someone as equally as talented as him getting in his face in the 2007 Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in which they were swept.  Let’s not forget that Dwyane Wade is actually the older of the two superstars 2 years, 11 months & 13 days older to be exact.  Along with having more experience in the Finals he also is like the older brother.  Wade being seemingly more laid-back of an idividual maintained his teams focus by continuously attacking the paint, avoiding long low quality shots like they took  late in Game 2.  Wade said “he led by example” keeping the focus on Coach Erik Spoelstra’s emphasis that taking 30 three-pointers is NOT at all the Heats identity.   The Heat reduced the 3-point attempts by ll shots hitting 8 of 19 in Game 3 instead of  going 9 of 30 as they did in Game 2.

Miami was playing like a desperate team with Mario Chalmers who has been an unsung hero in the Finals series, averaging 11 points a game while hitting shots when they matter.  He kept the Heat in the game hitting 4 major 3 point shots & keeping the Dallas crowd calm letting Dwyane Wade operate with the momentum staying equal between the teams throughout the game. 

“Actions speak louder than words,” cliche but in Game 3 it was a proven fact with the leaders of their respective teams stepping up & taking the reigns.   Late in the 4th Qtr. it was a 1-on-1 matchup between Dirk Nowitzki & Dwyane Wade answering each others call & trading baskets.  Dirk tied the game 84-84 with 3 minutes left in the 4th with a back door cut & slam set up by Jason Kidd capping another Mavs 4th Qtr. comeback.  At that point it began to become reminiscent of Game 2 giving the Miami Heat fans the thought of “here we go” like Bud Light but in a negative way.   Wade knowing that it was his time to perform came back down court & crossed up Kidd, pulled up & drained a 17 footer putting the Heat back in the lead 86-84.  Dirk with the “my turn” mentality took Udonis Haslem of the dribble with his bad left hand & rose up with his patented one leg jumpshot & buried it tying the game once again 86-86 with 1:40 to play in the game.  He had the “eye of the tiger” as he strolled back towards his bench with confidence after scoring the Mavs last 12 points.  With 39.6 seconds remaining in this crucial game tied at 86 LeBron had a decision to make, take it himself or find a teammate.  The seemingly timid little sibling of the Big 3 as in Chris Bosh with a swolen left eye suffered after being poked by Jason Kidd early in the game was LeBron’s choice.  Bosh had a rough night going 6 of 17 from the field up to this point.  He who also needed some strong words of encouragement & criticism after passing up on a shot that he normally takes minutes before, received a niffty behind the back pass, focused with his one good eye & silenced the crowd with a clutch shot from the left wing.  Putting the Heat in the lead 88-86 & left Dallas with a chance to take the last shot.

Everyone watching the game knew who’s hands the ball was going to end up in.  4.4 seconds left on the clock & Rick Carlisle drew up an inbound play placing Dirk at the top of the key where he does some of his finest work.  Jason Kidd the oldest point guard to start in the NBA Finals was the distributor with a perfect pass to Dirk with Haslem checking him, Dirk spun left, got a good look & faded back off his one leg & time seemed to slow down as he released with Haslem nearly fouling him.  The ball rotated ever so slowly going towards the rim &…. (wait on it) CLANK!!!  A shot that he has mastered throughout his career did not fall in this timely instance.  The Heat take the series lead 2-1 winning Game 3 88-86 with 2 upcoming games in Dallas.


Jason Terry is physically on the court but mentally elsewhere, Dirk still is the only consitant force on the Mavs team.  LeBron James is shutting Terry down with his quickness & athleticism.  What LeBron is not doing on the offensive side he makes up for defensively.   Dirk is averaging 28.3 points a game while his Snipers (Kidd, Terry, Peja) who are apparently out of bullets are averaging together only 23 points a game during the Finals.  The only player stepping up & contributing is Shawn Marion who has found his youth averaging 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds & 3.3 assist, however he struggled in Game 3 going 4 of 12 from the field scoring only 10 points.  J.J. Barea has been abscent as far as production scoring 6 points on 2 of 8 shooting along with 4 turnovers not helping when he’s replacing Jason Kidd when he goes to the bench.  Dirk needs help & he’s not getting it like he did in the Western Conference Finals against OKC Thunder.  Dallas won’t win this series as a one man team going up against the Heat who we thought was a team with just 2 great superstars.  Now they are getting contributions from everybody, even Mike Bibby who is 5 of 11 from 3-point land in the last 2 games.  The Heat are gelling their styles together at a perfect time, in the Finals.  Mario Chalmers becoming a force from behind the arch & Udonis Haslem coming in & playing stellar defense on Dirk down the stretch when Erik Spoelstra assigns him to.


Since the 2-3-2 format was placed in 1985 when the series is tied 1 to 1, the team who wins Game 3 has gone on to win the series 11 times.  Will that hold true again in this physical battle filled with superstars?
Something to watch for, Dirk looked like he was irritated by an issue with his shooting hand midway through the game, wasn’t a factor down the stretch but may play a part if it tightens up before Game 4.


Game 4 in Dallas on ABC Tuesday, June 7th 9pm ET


It is what it is…