Miami • LeBron James might be the body of the Heat, and what an otherworldly body he is, especially on a night such as Thursday, when his muscle and nerve overwhelmed the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.
But Dwyane Wade will always be the soul of the Heat.
James is an import, a merger acquisition, some would say a mercenary. A Best Actor who needed an adroit supporting cast. A king in search of a throne.
Wade was groomed here and bloomed here, maturing from shy kid to thoughtful superstar, style icon and devoted father. He was Shaquille O’Neal’s “little brother” and Pat Riley’s protege. He led the Heat to their championship in 2006 by averaging 34.7 points in phenomenal performances as NBA Finals MVP.
He weathered the lean years and, in 2010-11, the mean year, when the Big 3’s precelebration of multiple titles was maliciously mocked.
In this, the Heat’s self-proclaimed “no-excuses” year, Wade has flickered while James has burned. In the postseason, Wade has been inconsistent, injured, angry and disengaged. In the Eastern Conference finals against Boston, tied 3-3 going into Saturday’s decisive Game 7, he has been a slow starter and an unreliable finisher.
Wade hasn’t been himself.
But the Heat’s second do-or-die test within 48 hours could summon vintage Wade, the twirling, curling, whirling dervish. The time is ripe to see Wade put balls in the basket the way chefs put eggs in a bowl — either with a gentle flourish or an authoritative crack.
A trip to the NBA Finals against Oklahoma City is on the line, but more than that: The Heat are expected to win the NBA championship in Year 2 of the Big 3. They were expected to win it last year.
“We have our own internal expectations, and those are higher than anybody else’s,” Wade said. “I’m only playing for championships, man. You don’t know how many opportunities you’ll get. I don’t play this game for stats or awards.”
