In what could have been a tricky game -- on the road, facing a team on the brink of elimination, without Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem -- a masterful performance from Dwyane Wade powered the Miami Heat past the Indiana Pacers, ending the series and propelling his team into the Eastern Conference finals.
At Peninsula Is Mightier, Diego Quezada wrote:
The 2008-09 scoring champion scored 41 points on a remarkably efficient 17-of-25 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 shooting from the foul line. Wade also grabbed 10 rebounds, a team high. Although the Pacers began double-teaming Wade in the fourth quarter, he found a way to make three crucial baskets late in the game. The last one came as Wade split two defenders on a pick-and-roll and made an acrobatic layup over two other defenders for an and-one to put Miami up 11 with three minutes left.
Wade and LeBron James were just too much for the Pacers, according to Indy Cornrows:
Respect certainly deserves to go to Dwyane Wade and LeBron James for their play, especially tonight when Wade was just unstoppable, but this shouldn't be a nail on the "team dynamic" coffin. The Pacers played hard and played well this entire series (or at least five of the games), but when Wade and James are in the zone, there isn't much you can do to stop them.
For more news, analysis, and discussion on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For the opponent's perspective, check out Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana. And for all your news and notes on the playoffs matchups, visit SB Nation's dedicated NBA hub.