Heat vs. Pacers: Dwyane Wade Must Excel Following Exchange with Erik Spoelstra

Remember last June when LeBron James was crucified for his disturbing effort in the fourth quarter of the 2011 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks? 

Fast forward 11 months to May 2012.

Today, Dwyane Wade is on the verge of becoming the scapegoat for the Miami Heat's second consecutive playoff failure. 

The Heat trail the Indiana Pacers 2-1 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, with Game 4 on the horizon (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). Just three days after Wade exploded in front of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra during a timeout at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Spoelstra and the Heat will be rooting for Wade to excel, as he must if they have any chance to win.

It's no surprise that Miami must get a All-Star performance from Wade in order to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece on Sunday. The question is, will they?

Never has the 30-year-old Wade looked more rattled by his poor play than he did during his sideline meltdown on Thursday night. The former NBA Finals MVP is averaging 19.3 points per game so far in the series, but he's shooting a dismal 31 percent from the field through three games. Wade has yet to even make a three-pointer in the series (0-of-4).

More so than the loss of forward Chris Bosh to an abdominal sprain, the source of the Heat's struggles can be attributed to one man: Dwyane Wade. He, like so many other underachieving superstars in these 2012 playoffs, must step up. 

Wade's free throw percentage has steadily declined since Game 1, while his turnovers have increased since the series opener in South Beach.

Teammate LeBron James is shooting better than 45 percent from the floor, and he's averaging 27.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in three games against Indiana. Wade, meanwhile, is the one looking more like the rattled, overrated superstar. 

It would not be unfair to consider Game 4 a must-win for the Miami Heat. After all, their season will be on the line Sunday, as 1-3 holes are usually a death sentence in the NBA playoffs. 

Wade knows that as well as anyone, and that's why he must step up to the challenge this weekend. 

One strong performance from Wade in Game 4, and this series is tied. The Heat return to Miami with home-court advantage and a determined Wade.

The Heat's struggles and Wade's exchange with Spoelstra will be mere afterthoughts as Miami's bandwagon loads back up for an inevitable trip to the East finals. 

Follow Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more on the 2012 NBA Playoffs.