It’s Dwyane Wade’s Universe, And We’re All Just Being Exploded Into Dust In It

We can’t call it Nova, because he’s been at this for a month, been coming close to it for a season. There’s no burn out. Just energy, pouring through Jamario Moon on ridiculously high dunks that actually matter, surging through Beasley’s confidence on the elbow jumper, blinding poor Salmons as he tries to dribble behind his back at the top of the keywith the most dangerous help defender in the game swooping to his weak hand, and igniting a fear in every team they face, and every team looking at them for the playoffs.

Seriously, if you’re the Hawks right now, aren’t you considering tanking? You held your ground with Boston last year, and you’re a better team, they’re a worse one. The Cavs are a tough order, but you have the athleticism to at least make it a contest. Orlando would be even worse, but they’re still fighting the “unproven” tag. The Heat certainly seems like the best option, but do you want to face this man?  Wade’s ruthless at this point. He has no aspirations beyond “Destroy whatever is in front of me and make people love me for it.” He missed crucial free throws tonight. HUGE free throws that he just did not hit. And those free throws pale to the ridiculous plays he made, including one of the most exciting last six seconds I can remember. When it was regulation and Gordon missed that free throw (which you just knew, Gordon being Gordon on a big night, he was going to miss one. I even talked him through it. “That’s it, Ben. Just think about the paycheck. That’s why you’re here. Think about shooting another three with a defender in your face. Think about taking the ball from Rose. That’s it…” CLANG!), I was pretty sure it was over. There’s no way the Bulls let him get a shot in this situation. I mean, you only have to guard one guy. You can live with Chalmers, Beasley, Cook, anyone. Just don’t let… NET.

Wade did it on 21 shots, tonight. 47 on 21 shots. 12 assists. 6 boards. 4 steals. 3 blocks. How is this guy getting into the paint and blocking guys out?

In second overtime, down two, Wade looked absolutely gassed. He had that look like there was nothing left. Like his body was giving up. The 1.0 look.

2.0 was simply pulling a rope-a-dope. He caught the ball at the slight left wing, and measured. Good defense by the Bulls. Man defender to guard the pull-up three, man-help on the drive. As long as he’s not able to get to the corner…BAM. It was like watching a cannonball soar through the air,and then hit its burst.

At this point, there’s nothing Wade’s not doing that would help his team. Defense, leadership, scoring, big shots, rebounding, hustle plays, savvy, consistency, efficiency, highlight reels, all of it. He had five turnover tonight. But if you have four steals and 12 assists, haven’t you made up for it?

This season has lacked some of the magic of last season. The Lakers dominance is part of it, the simple finality of the fact that they’ll be holding the trophy in June. The fall of the Suns and Mavericks is part, and the lack of a good surprise story. But maybe that’s what the Heat and Wade are. There’s a certain symmetry to this Heat squad. Reminiscent of Wade’s Caron and Odom team, bubbling over with talent and promise, the showcase of Wade and what he could be. Now he’s reached possibly his full potential, and he’s got another young nucleus to build around. They’ve come this far and they’re only a season removed from outright disaster.

The Eastern Conference top seeds may no longer just be playing for homecourt, they may be playing to avoid Wade.

We’re lucky to be watching this time, because as irritating as our fathers were with how they talked of how great the old stars were, we’re living in a similar time. Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Howard, Shaq, Nash,Deron, CP3, The Boston 4 (welcome, Rondo), the Portland Army, we get to watch them night in and night out. And in a little over a month’s time, we get to watch them (well most of them, thanks for playing Shaq) in what they were made for, a seven game series, not a one-off adventure, with strategy and moments and greatness. That’s been the shift this week. We’d been stuck in the doldrums of the post-Deadline-blues. But you can feel it now, just like spring. The playoffs are coming.

And good God, are they going to be intense.

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Other thoughts from Bulls-Heat:

Joakim Noah really is a pretty good basketball player. He’s not the kind of player you can build around, but he’s the kind of player you can’t win championships without.

Most of the people I was talking to online were rooting for triple-overtime, that’s how good this game is.

There are certain players where if they’re having a huge night, I’m pretty sure their team is going to lose. Ben Gordon is one such player. In order for him to put up gaudy numbers, he has to shoot. A lot. He only shot twice more than Wade. Which would be fine, if he should be the focal point of the offense. But he shouldn’t. And if he is, that means he’s running ISO, and that means he’s probably doing it when his team is out of position to rebound, which means no one is in a defensive set, which means Vinny Del Negro is coaching.

Mario Chalmers is really sharp for how much responsibility he has in the offense. It’ll be nice next year when Wade doesn’t have to bring the ball up as Chalmers’ maturity evolves.

Brad Miller looked pretty confused most of the time. Lots of effort, but that foul with 32 seconds left was abysmal. Keep your head, smokey.

I marvel at how good John Salmons is for how short his vertical is. Seriously. It’s a bunny hop. And he dunks!

The behind the basket shot of the Wade game-winner was awesome. Just awesome. I went back and checked the replay, and the steal looked clean. Trey noted that Salmons went one-on-one in the easiest to double zone on the floor. Wade actually double gambled on him, getting the strip the second time on the aforementioned behind the back dribble.

Hinrich was SORELY missed.

Moon is having the same kind of surge and effect on Wade as Delonte West has on LeBron. There’s a natural chemistry there, and it’s good to see him playing well again.

Eric Spoelstra after the Wade shot looked like a kid. Just amazed.

Wade immediately ran to the scorer’s table to celebrate with the fans, and in the post-game, mentioned his missed free throws. This is the guy you want leading your team.

I promise I’ll stop gushing once Cleveland/Boston exposes their numerous and precise flaws.

Imagine what happens if Orlando gets the one. We get Hawks-Heat, followed by Heat-Magic and possibly Cavs-Heat in the ECF. I’m sorry Boston, this is what’s best for us all.

Un. Believe. Able.