2. Dwayne Wade
As the Chicago Bulls began this isolation play with John Salmons, you can tell Wade wants and is going to get the ball away from the ball-handler. Sure enough, one crossover was enough to do it as Wade stripped Salmons and made a miraculous running three to win it.
For years one couldn’t mention the word clutch in relation to the NBA without Dwayne Wade popping up in the conversation. His relentless desire to get into the paint and somehow put the ball through the hoop amidst seven footers is an ability held by a small number in the NBA.
Now, however, Wade’s ever troublesome knee problems have made him less of the threat he used to be with the clock slowly ticking away in the fourth quarter. But, he is still more than capable of going off in vintage D-Wade fashion to bring his team to victory.
The Heat are wisely limiting Wade’s minutes this season and taking him out of a lot of back-to-back games. While it might sacrifice getting the number one seed and the home-court advantage that comes with it (to the Pacers, who else in the talent-forsaken East could win it?), this action shows one thing: the Miami Heat know that Wade still a lot left in the tank if he’s healthy and rested for the post-season. And to Miami, it’s worth possibly playing 4 games in Indiana to have the greatest player in franchise history ready to go.