The Miami Heat took care of business on their home floor Wednesday night, sending the Chicago Bulls home in a 94-91 Game 5 victory that put Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Dwyane Wade, who has battled a bone bruise on his knee since the end of the regular season, reminded NBA fans everywhere why his nickname used to be "Flash" in the win, scoring 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while adding six assists and five rebounds to the equation. His best work came in the fourth quarter, after he had left the game in the third to go to the locker room. At that moment Heat fans feared the worst about Wade's knee.
I knew the fourth quarter was going to be tough so I wanted to re-tape my knee," said Wade. "I knew I was going to come back into a grind. Our trainers did a great job of getting it taped it enough so I could come out and play." Late in the fourth quarter, Wade recorded a block, two rebounds, and a highlight-reel putback dunk that signaled the beginning of the end for the Bulls.
"Dwyane is uncanny," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "When the competition is at its highest, and its fiercest, he finds a way."
LeBron James led the Heat in scoring, despite having his most inefficient night during the current playoff run. He scored 23 points but was just 5-of-14 from the field; he made up the difference by hitting 12-of-15 free throws.
Now, Miami awaits the winner of the Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks series, which could potentially be wrapped up tonight by the Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Indiana currently holds a 3-1 series lead over the second-seeded Knicks, who have struggled with their shooting since Game 1.
Slumping Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith has put the blame for the Knicks' deficit on himself, and will surely be firing away tonight to atone for his failures.
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