A tribute to Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade: Part 2, 2012 series vs. Pacers

This is the second of a three-part AUCH series, all honoring Miami Heat legend and future Hall of Famer, Dwyane Wade; three contributors will be breaking down his top three performances based on the Pre-Big Three era, Mid-Big Three era, and Post-Big Three era.

Well, you’ve all heard the news by now.

Dwyane Wade is coming back to the Miami Heat, for the last time.

With his farewell tour on the horizon, it’s only fair that we take a look back at some of the biggest performances he’s had as a player for the Heat.

My colleague, Ivan Mora, wrote about his best performance prior to the Heat’s Big Three, but I’m here to take a look at his tenure on one of the best teams of all-time, with LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

If we’re looking at it without a box score, his best performance comes after the disappointing Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

In 2011, the topic of how the two would co-exist was the biggest on the airwaves. “There’s only one basketball,” is an argument that would be made a million times over. After all, this was a duo with a league MVP and a Finals MVP.

That’s without even considering Bosh’s resume too.

According to many reports, it took Wade’s epiphany to step back and let James lead the team that really led to the historic run that Miami fans will celebrate for the rest of time.

Wade’s self-realization is one of the rarer things you find amongst superstars in any sports. Too often, it’s “get buckets or die trying,” as opposed to realizing that it may be time to hand the reigns to someone else.

But as much as this had perhaps the biggest impact on the Big Three era, everyone wants to talk about the box scores; it’s all about the W’s at the end of the day.

Once again, Wade makes his biggest impact right after that Dallas Finals loss. And comes through the clutch at the exact time he’s needed.

Especially with Bosh sidelined because of an abdominal strain, and the Indiana Pacers benefitting from the great play of Paul George, David West, Lance Stephenson, Darren Collison, and Roy ‘Verticality’ Hibbert.

If you don’t understand the Hibbert reference, this was the time where the verticality rule was in complete effect and he had mastered getting away with it. Some places had deemed him as the perfect rim protector against James and Wade, especially with Bosh not available to spread the floor.

So with Bosh ruled out for the series, it was almost a certainty in most circles that the Heat would deal with another playoff disappointment.

After dropping just five points in Game 3, which turned out to be a 19-point loss for the Heat, and facing a 2-1 deficit heading into Indiana for Game 4, something changed.

Father Prime came alive

Game 4: 30 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks

Game 5: 28 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Up 3-2. In Indiana. Time for the nail in the coffin.

In 39 minutes, Dwyane Wade posted up an insane statline of 41 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

The end result? Heat win by 12 and win the series.

Getting into the game, you’d realize that it was exactly what you would expect from Mr. 305 himself.

With the Heat down 11 early in the game, Wade put up 26 points by halftime, which is a franchise record for most playoff points in the first half.

Watching the game, you could almost see that it would be a legendary night.

Wade slashed to the basket with reckless abandon, reminiscent of his battles with Dallas in the 2006 Finals. Impossible shots seemed possible. If Indiana had him covered, he wasn’t covered.

Quite accurately, Wade brought the Heat back from the dead. 

As always.

In the end, Wade was just doing what he did best: balling out.