D-Wade Turned Human

Dwayne Wade made his NBA debut some 5 ½ years ago, scoring 18 points—on 8-for-18 shooting and grabbing four rebounds in 41 minutes in the Heat’s 89-74 loss to Allen Iverson and the Sixers.

Let’s just say he’s improved a bit since then—although it was hard to tell today--, coming into today’s game leading the NBA in scoring at a 30.0 clip. He also ranked second in steals—to Chris Paul-- and eighth in assists. Plus. coming off an injury-plagued 2008 in which he was limited to just 51 games while the Heat staggered to a 15-67 disaster of a season, he’s almost single-handedly improved them into playoff contenders.

After doing a half-Syracuse Saturday in Miami—needing three overtime to outlast the Utah Jazz, 140-129--the 36-29 Heat arrived fifth in the tightly packed Eastern standings, 1 ½ games behind No. 4 Atlanta, who would have home court should it stay this way, and 2 ½ games ahead of No. 6 Detroit. Another ½ game back was the Sixers, who would earn a 2-2 split of the season’s series with a win today.<

Down five points after three periods that prospect didn’t appear likely. But then Philadelphia picked up its defense, while Miami’s legs, still feeling the effects of Saturday’s marathon just wouldn’t respond. With little-used Donyell Marshall coming out of mothballs to pick up a sagging offense by hitting three 3-pointers, while the Sixers playing suffocating defense at the other end, Philadelphia went on a 24-9 fourth quarter tear to salvage a crucial 85-77 win. <

Andre Iguodala scored 21 points to lead the way for the 33-31 Sixers, who now head West for five games, beginning Tuesday with the Lakers. Thaddeus Young was next with 17, while Andre Miller finished with 10 while handing out 11 assists and Marshall added 10—all in the fourth quarter when he single-handedly outscored the visitors.<
Jermaine O’Neal topped the 36-30 Heat with 20, while Wade settled for 18, shooting just 8-for-21, to go with four rebounds and three assists, numbers eerily similar to the ones he posted in his October 29, 2003 debut here. <

``It wasn’t a good one,’’ conceded Wade, who felt he simply didn’t have his usual explosiveness, which prevented him from going strong to the hoop. ``They made the plays and we didn’t.

``Being tired (from the three overtime game with the quick turnaround) was a factor of course.<

``I just didn’t have the energy to go to the rim like I can.’’

Sensing that, the Sixers didn’t let the Heat off the hook. ``We knew they had played three overtimes yesterday so they were tired,’’ said Iguodala, as the Sixers jumped over Detroit into sixth in the East, just 1 ½ games behind Miami. ``We take to take full advantage.

``In that situation you definitely have to take care of business.’’

That’s the same mindset they intend to take West, where they’ll follow up their test vs. Kobe & Co. by taking on Phoenix, Sacramento, Golden State and Portland. `` Whoever put the schedule together for us wasn’t on our side,’’ complained Iguodala.
We’re playing some high level teams. <

``We usually play well when we play good teams. If we can win one early, that could set us up for a good trip.’’

But before they left town they had to stop D-Wade and his boys As Heat coach, Erik Spoelstra feared, the host Sixers jumped out of the gates on his weary team, getting 10 first quarter points from Young and seven from Iguodala to seize a 29-22 first quarter lead. But with Wade, O’Neal and the rest of the starters on the bench, the Heat opened up the floor for 3-pointers from Chris Quinn and Yakhouba Diawara to draw even, 31-31. <

A few minutes later Mario Chalmers drained another trey to put Miami ahead, 37-35. Then it was Wade driving past Samuel Dalembert to make it 43-40. But Iguodala responded with a three-point play, followed by a fastbreak dunk off an Andre Miller pass off a steal the Sixers closed with a flurry to take a 46-43 halftime lead.<

The game remained tight into the third, Wade stripping Iguodala and going in for an uncontested dunk to put the Heat on top, 51-50. Udonis Haslem’s corner jumped pushed it to 55-50, as Philadelphia hit just two of its first 11 to start the period.<

Finally Young broke the drought with a driving layup, followed by a tough putback in traffic to cut it to 58-54. Wade promptly opened it up to 62-54, hitting from the corner. After three it was 68-61, the Sixers having scored 32 points in the second and third periods combined after dropping 29 in the first.<

That’s when the Sixers made their move, Tony DiLeo pulling the strings by going deep down his bench to veteran Marshall, who followed Maurice Speights’ jumper and a pair of Lou Williams with a 3-pointer to tie it, 70-70 with 7:45 remaining.<

Miller then put the Sixers up for the first time since early in the third, 72-70, setting the stage for a frantic finish. Marshall’s second trey of the period stretched the Sixers advantage to 77-72 at the 5:38 mark, before he drained his third to make it 80-74. .

Miami had a number of chances to cut into that margin, only to come up empty, before Marshall’s third 3-ball within a 3:16, followed by some Philadelphia free throws, put it away.