The referendum too often comes down on LeBron James. His failures in the fourth quarter. Missed shots. Scrutiny over his decisions. But in the Miami Heat’s recent two-game failure in Boston, James hasn’t been the issue. Yes, he fouled out in overtime Sunday night. But the trouble for Miami focuses on the guy who doesn’t get much criticism: Dwyane Wade. At times he has been amazing in the playoffs, but there is no doubt there have been enough times where he has been anything but — sometimes for a game and other times for a half.
In the first half of games in this series, now tied at 2-2, Wade has shot a combined 8-for-31 for 20 points. It’s no wonder the Heat consistently must recover from early double-digit deficits. Wade has recovered in the second half of those games, making 24 of 39 field goal attempts.
The thing is, you have to credit Boston’s defense vs. Wade. The Celtics have double-teamed him often and prevented him from consistently attacking the basket. After attempting 17 free throws in the first two games combined, he has shot five in the past two. In the playoffs, when Wade shoots five free throws or less, he shoots just 41 percent from the field (37-for-90). When he attempts more than that, he shoots 51 percent (96-for-188). It’s a sign he’s attacking the basket.
And that’s where the potential return of Chris Bosh matters. It’s clear now that, as talented as Wade and James are, they absolutely need Bosh to win a title. It’s not because he’s a better player than either one of them, but it’s because of what he can do: occupy a big player. In this series, it’s Kevin Garnett. When he’s not in the game, it’s difficult for James and Wade to drive aggressively. Garnett can focus on help defense, knowing his man (Joel Anthony or Ronny Turiaf) won’t hurt the Celtics.
If Bosh returns Tuesday, Garnett’s defensive impact, preventing those drives, will lessen. And then everyone can return to their favorite NBA playoff pastime: scrutinizing James.
– John Keim
