Entering this postseason, Dwyane Wade was a great young player – an All-Star headed for superstardom.
Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I think he's there now.
Wade has made these playoffs his own by emerging as an absolute superstar in the NBA. Put him up there with the best of the best: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki – whoever you want. Nobody penetrates and gets to the rim like Wade.
His talent was on full display Monday as the Miami Heat again beat up on the Detroit Pistons in an 89-78 victory. In scoring a game-high 31 points, Wade showed off a deadly medium-range jumper, cat-quick forays to the hoop and the ability to draw contact in the paint and still finish plays.
Wade made eight of 11 shots, but more importantly he attacked the Detroit defense so relentlessly that he made 19 trips to the free-throw line and converted 15 of them.
The Pistons tried everyone to guard him: Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter and even Maurice Evans. Flip Saunders basically conceded his team's inability to cover Wade by going to a zone defense for much of the second half, but it didn't matter. Wade found his way into the paint anyway and either drew fouls, scored or got the ball to an open teammate.
His spectacular play – combined with a solid effort from Shaquille O'Neal, who scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds – propelled the Heat to a 3-1 series lead over the two-time defending Eastern Conference champs. Wade certainly has entered a different stratosphere.
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