MIAMI, (Reuters) – LeBron James top-scored with 32 points as the Miami Heat reached their third straight NBA Finals with a 99-76 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday, but it was Dwyane Wade’s return to form that gave coach Erik Spoelstra the most pleasure.
Wade has been struggling with a painful knee injury throughout the playoffs and it showed in his production, with the guard failing to register 20 points in any of his previous 12 games.
But his 21 points on Monday, combined with nine rebounds, gave Miami the additional boost they needed in the Game Seven decider.
The aggression was back, the confidence to drive to the rim and with it, the Heat looked a more complete unit following their Game Six setback.
“That’s just Dwyane being who he is. He has an uncanny way, when you count him out and you need him most, when the competition is fiercest, he’s going to be there for you,” Spoelstra told reporters.
“He’s six foot four (1.93m) but he has a way of making it seem like his six foot 10 in games like this. It was great to see the impact he had,” the Heat coach added.
Wade has been having to undergo special training routines to deal with his injury which at times, he said, had kept him up to the “wee hours” and Spoelstra praised his attitude.
“We all know what he’s dealing with right now. He knew this was a moment that we had to have and somehow he was able to just will that game, despite what he is going through,” he added.
SPECIAL WORK
Wade, not wanting to draw attention to himself, was unwilling to elaborate on the nature of his injury or the special work he was having to put in.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m playing basketball. I will continue to do what I need to do to help my team win a championship,” he said.
“I’m going to play through pain because this is my job. My team depends on me. I would love to be one of those players who never have to deal with these conversations, deal with these injuries, but that’s not my path.
“I’ve been through so much away from the game and in the game that I will find a away. Give me enough time, I’ll figure it out,” Wade added.
However, the Miami guard, a surviving member of Miami’s 2006 championship winning team, believes he expects more pain in the NBA Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs.
“There will be some moments in the next series where I won’t be looking so great. I am sure there will be some great headlines out there about myself. But I’ll continue pushing,” he said.
Spoelstra said Wade had benefitted from James’s decision to guard Paul George and the MVP’s ability to bring him into the game early on.
“I called a couple of sets for him early in the game just to get him a feel for it and it showed throughout the whole game that he was in the rhythm,” James said.
Game One in the best-of-seven finals series is in Miami tomorrow.
