After Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals LeBron James openly said to the media that the Miami Heat need an aggressive Dwyane Wade if the Heat are going to win the series and inevitably, a championship.

Some, including Wade himself, may think he has lost a step since his last NBA Finals and championship victory in 2006. This maybe true since a spectacular athlete doesn’t stay spectacular forever. Age, injury and the hunger to win leave after so many seasons. In Game 2, Wade not only proved he still has his aggressive basketball nature but can also still play like a man possessed.

The box score’s listing of 24 points on 10-20 shooting from the field, six rebounds, five assists and a block for Wade are All-Star numbers. If anyone thinks Wade isn’t a top five player in the league, their not watching the right game. Anyway, it wasn’t just his numbers that made his performance in Game 2 incredibly effective for his team.

It was his demeanor.

Wade had the look we all associate Kobe Bryant with. The look that tells every opponent and team supporter I am a living, breathing, basketball God and will eat the heart out of anyone who tries to prove differently. In my eyes, Wade played like Game 2 was the last game of his NBA career, which is the same manner James should have been playing for the last two seasons.

The nine year NBA vet attacked the basket with resentment like it stole his date or swiped his wallet at a dinner party. One of the main story lines heading into this series for me was whether or not Wade would be able to have big games with a defender of Thabo Sefolosha’s caliber on him. No need to fear Heat fans, it didn’t seem to matter who was on him at all.

Jun 14, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the fourth quarter of game two in the 2012 NBA Finals at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Miami won 100-96. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

Wade was able to out maneuver Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook and James Harden whenever they tried to match up with him.

If he wasn’t taking it to the hoop, Wade was getting the rest of his team involved whether it was with a pass or moving without the ball to free up his teammates from their defenders. It seemed Wade made sure he was far away from Shane Battier, but always looking to see where he was around the three-point line. Battier continued to torch the net in Game 2 as he went 5-of-7 from the arch (6-of-8 from the field) for 17 points.

A lot of Battier’s shots had to do with floor spacing and the distributor looking for him on the floor. Wade is a big contributor of both.

Defensively, Wade stuck with Westbrook as much as he could and contested a large majority of the Thunder’s point guard’s shots. On the other hand, Westbrook is a freak athlete in his own right and was able to score 27 points.

At the same time, Wade read passing lanes, switched well and crashed the boards for an all around stellar defensive effort.

Jun 14 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) blocks the shot of Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden (13) during the second quarter of game two in the 2012 NBA Finals at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

If Wade continues to fuel off of James’ comments and the rumors he is losing his step, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in trouble. When Wade gets going and is determined to win, he isn’t only amongst one of the best players in the league but he turns his teammates into All-Star caliber players as well.

Game 2 Wade was a monster, what happens if he decides to be a monster in Game 3?

Miami will lead the NBA Finals 2-1.

Which X-factor will prevail in the 2012 NBA Finals

We’ve all heard the term X-factor before.

Whether it’s people eating bugs, the eighth batter in a baseball lineup hitting a grand slam or a bench player hitting timely shots to help his team win the game, X-factors are needed in most platforms to achieve success and win games. Why would the 2012 NBA Finals be any different?

It might be different because the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder are loaded with high quality talent, but they’re still there.

Since the Heat have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, all players who can be a go-to-guy, the X-factor is the fourth best player on the team instead of the usual third and sometimes second. The Thunder are no different since they have Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Again, we have to go four deep to find the player who must step up to help his team win.

I’ve wrote in many posts and told many friends and colleagues that the Heat could be in trouble because they’re not deep. However, if their X-factor can be productive in not one game but for most of the season, there is no reason why they can’t win the 2012 NBA Championship.

With that said, Mario Chalmers has to step up.

Mario Chalmers has to play his A-game on both sides of the ball for Miami to win.

He can hit clutch shots, such as he did in the Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 against the Boston Celtics as he scored 22 points and maintained his team when it seemed like the game could get out of control.

Chalmers has shown he can defend. His assignment against Rajon Rondo was a little difficult, but it is for every point guard in the league. On the other hand, he didn’t allow the Indiana Pacers’ George Hill or Darren Collison to do much in the semifinals. The Heat’s starting point guard is fast enough and has good enough footwork to stay in front of his man while also maintaining a key eye for passing lines to disrupt opponents ball movement.

If the Heat’s point guard is matched up with Westbrook, his defensive play WILL make or break the series. No one can contain Westbrook, but to limit him could mean a NBA ring for him and his teammates.

The Heat need him to do all of the above and much more.

Miami has an offensive problem sometimes in which no one moves because James or Wade has the ball. This is the perfect time for Chalmers to run his man through a screen and pop out for a three pointer or a mid-range jumper. The defense will more than likely be hitched to the guy with the ball and will leave Chalmers alone, relatively.

This would obviously be his opportunity to show he can knock down big shots and that he is a vocal point of this celebrated team.

The man the Thunder should get going fast and often is Serge Ibaka.

The Thunder's Serge Ibaka is a huge component for the Thunder's defensively but will also add instant offense.

He is a dynamic athlete who can do just about anything he wants to around the basket after he has the ball. If he isn’t in the low post, okay, he can step out and hit his improved 18-foot jump shot.

Defensively, I could tell readers everything he can do, but if your reading this, you already know: he is a defensive monster. Ibaka was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. The man can jump out of the gym and closes in on large spaces faster than anyone I’ve seen in quite some time.

While Chalmers needs to be aggressive to get the attention of Westbrook and Sefolosha to aide Wade in heating up, Ibaka needs to crash the paint and challenge Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem in the paint. If Anthony and Haslem get into foul trouble, the Heat are struck because they don’t have any other bigs who can play solid defense. Sorry Bosh, this includes you.

Both X-Factors are great athletes and can be explosive. If they don’t show up, their team is going to have to heavily rely on its three main guys.

Nothing helps win a championship by being productive and lessening the load on the star’s shoulders.