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LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh carry Miami Heat
SAN ANTONIO — LeBron James returned to his MVP form. Dwyane Wade traveled back in time, circa 2006. And Chris Bosh isn’t the softest big man in the history of the game, after all.
James, Wade and Bosh were for the first time in a long time the quintessential definition of a Big 3 and demonstrated in devastating efficiency why the Miami Heat constructed a roster fronted by three All-Stars.
“It was on our shoulders, obviously,” James said. “We had to figure out how to will a game for us, to play at the highest level. When all three of us are clicking at the same time, we’re a very tough team to beat.”
Heat stars Dwyane Wade, left, Chris Bosh, middle, and LeBron James dominated Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.(Photo: Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports)
Understatement alert. They might be impossible to beat.
James had 33 points and 11 rebounds, Wade had 32 points, six steals, six rebounds and four assists and Bosh had 20 points and 13 rebounds in Miami’s 109-93 victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, tying the best-of-seven series at 2.
They combined for 85 points — a stunning 78% of Miami’s scoring — and James, Wade and Bosh each scored at least 20 points in a game for the first time since March 15.
James and Wade had reached 20 points each in the same game only once before in these playoffs and hit 30 each in the same game only four times all season.
They established the tone early in the first quarter, with both reaching the free throw line two minutes, nine seconds into the game. In Game 3, James didn’t take a free throw.
Let’s start with James. He took responsibility for Miami’s awful Game 3 performance and promised a better performance. But the promise was met with skepticism. He hadn’t reached 20 points in the first three games, and except for a brief but brilliant stretch in Game 2, the Spurs had kept James in check. San Antonio packed the paint, kept multiple bodies out in front and dared him to shoot. It worked because his shot was not falling, and shades of his performance in the 2011 Finals against the Dallas Mavericks began to creep in.
James did not like watching video of his Game 3 performance.
He erased any lingering issues in the first quarter, scoring 11 points. He made his first two mid-range jump shots and three shots in the paint.
James played much more aggressively from the start, and so did Wade, who was not immune to criticism after Game 3. He has been slowed by a bruised right knee, and maybe it was time for Spoelstra to consider playing Wade less.
That seems foolhardy now.
Forward Udonis Haslem is one of Wade’s best friends. They have played their entire careers together for the Heat.
Wade scored 18 in the second half, when the Heat needed his scoring the most. Even though Wade and James combined for 29 points in the first half, it was still 49-49 at halftime, still anybody’s game.
James, Wade and Bosh had 48 of Miami’s 60 second-half points, but Miami didn’t have one of its stunning 33-5 runs. This time, it was a steady pounding as the Heat slowly pulled away. During a 24-12 run late in the third quarter through the midway point of the fourth quarter, Wade scored 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting.
For Wade, his success in Game 4 began Wednesday.
Throughout the playoffs, Wade has lived with the story line that his career is perpetually in decline. Well, as he proves series after series, Wade’s rapid fall has been greatly exaggerated.
In the fourth quarter with Miami extending its lead, Wade picked off a Danny Green pass and Euro-stepped his way to the basket and past Gary Neal for a one-handed dunk, giving the Heat a 90-81 lead with 8:13 left.
Bosh had his best game of the playoffs. Even more than his scoring and rebounding, his defense, especially at the rim, was outstanding.
After killing the Heat with 19 offensive rebounds and 20 second-chance points in Game 3, San Antonio had just five and seven Thursday. Spurs star Tim Duncan had 20 points but five rebounds. For the first time in the series, no Spurs player had 10 rebounds.
Bosh played a major role.
Now, it’s onto Game 5, and the Heat, the league’s best road team, are in a position to head back to Miami with a 3-2 series lead.
James wants to build on what happened in Game 4. It’s been difficult with little carry over from game to game in this series.
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