Dirty Fouls, Chokes in Clutch and Fights with Coach: What's Happened to D-Wade?

Dwyane Wade's altercation with Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra in Game 3 of Miami's Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Pacers was a result of the inevitable.

It's a championship-or-bust state of mind in South Beach, and the results are agonizing for Heat faithful.

Miami faces more pressure than any team in the sporting world today.

Three (currently two with Chris Bosh's injury) superstars on one team were supposed to guarantee a multitude of exceptionally exceptional seasons. Instead, it has turned the Heat into a breeding ground for trouble.

The Heat were given a pass by some for their failure to win an NBA title in the Big Three's first season together.

They will not get another. If they don't win it all this year, NBA fans will laugh because anyone but Miami will hoist the NBA's championship trophy.

This brings us back to last night and Dwyane Wade.

The outburst Wade directed in Spoelstra's direction may be the result of the pressure these Heat players have created for themselves.

Let's take a look at the pressure Miami faces and how Wade's season has evolved from one filled with hope to one spiraling toward anguish.

No Bulls Plus Old Celtics Plus Unproven Pacers Equals NBA Finals, Right?

This formula ran through the Heat's mind as soon as Philadelphia began celebrating its elimination of Chicago, the Eastern Conference's top seed.

Miami's path to the NBA Finals was immediately cleared, or at least it was supposed to be.

However, Miami did not account for the Pacers' hard-nosed defense and will to win. The Heat overlooked the upstart Pacers in favor of their ultimate, pressure-packed goal.

Instead of taking each opponent as they come, Miami is playing like it barely glanced the Indiana scouting report.

Roy Hibbert has staked his claim over the entire painted area, and the Pacer perimeter has put the clamps on Wade and James' offensive attack.

When Miami lost to Dallas last season in the NBA Finals, many people said it's their first year together. They assumed Miami would add key pieces to their bench, fill in the holes on its roster and be back with a vengeance in the playoffs.

Miami did fill the cracks on its bench, but it didn't account for one thing.

Egos, the pressure to perform and the impact that can have on star players down the stretch.

Wade's Season

Wade played in 49 games this year. He averaged 22 points per game, his lowest total since his rookie season in 2003.

Wade's frustration probably began with his injuries. Miami had a job to do this year, and Wade would not take sitting out lightly.

Wade is a gamer, a former NBA Finals MVP and one of the NBA's most consistent performers.

His job was on the court as an integral part of the Big Three's success, not on the trainer's table.

Of course, this is not any fault of his own, but pressure is pressure. Pressure to get healthy, pressure to perform and pressure to win on the NBA's ultimate stage.

Wade has started all eight of Miami's playoff games this year. He has played almost 37 minutes a night and averaged a little over 20 points per game.

He is not a marksman from the outside, nor has he ever been, but Wade is still one of the league's most dynamic combo guards.

Where Did it All Go Wrong?

OK, I want you to picture this.

You are Wade. You just put up a 24 points against the Pacers in Miami's Game 2 loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semis.

You did everything within your power to grab a victory for your team. But, you missed a critical game-tying layup with 16 remaining on the clock.

How would you feel?

Wade was probably not in a good mood entering Game 3 of the Heat's Eastern Conference playoff action.

Following a miserable close to Game 2 with the worst playoff performance of his career in Game 3 probably did not help.

Wade was in the midst of a 2-of-13 shooting performance last night when he and Spoelstra got into it. He had one assist, five turnovers and the Heat were minus-25 with Wade on the court.

Nothing was going right. It was just one of those nights.

However, that does not make Wade's confrontation right. He is still the player and Spoelstra is still the coach.

Fans can make the "stars coach their team" argument, but that is invalid. Whether that is the case or not, what message does that send to your sinking squad?

Wade is Miami's unquestioned leader with, or without, James' presence in South Beach. He feels more pressure than some may assume because he plays next to the sport's most analyzed athlete in James.

Wade won an NBA title in 2006. He knows the unbridled ecstasy one feels when you hoist that championship trophy.

Because of that, he feels more pressure than any other Heat player. He wants to get back to the NBA's promised land, and he realizes his supposed dream team is giving it away as each minute passes against Indiana.

Wade's outburst in Game 3 is the product of the environment created by the Heat.

They are the NBA's version of the Evil Empire. Altercations and big personalities come with the territory of star-studded team building.