Pacers vs. Heat: Why Miami's Game 4 Dominance Won't Last
In theory, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade did exactly what they were expected to do on Sunday afternoon. The Miami Heat's 101-93 Game 4 victory over the Indiana Pacers was precisely what fans and pundits alike thought would happen all along.
The only difference is that—with or without Chris Bosh—we all secretly believed every game would be like Game 4.
However, even on the heels of a signature James-Wade thrashing, realists and optimists alike must concede this probably won't last.
The Indiana Pacers aren't tied at two games apiece in this series by accident. Excuses abound, to be sure. From Bosh's absence to Wade's knee, the Heat have problems that aren't of their own doing. Nevertheless, Indiana has exploited those vulnerabilities and now finds itself in a very winnable best-of-three series.
Yes, it's quite possible Miami's two best players will again top 70 combined points. The problem is that this squad's two best players are really its only players.
We all know James and Wade can replicate their performances, but will the rest of rotation do the same? Can Udonis Haslem muster another inspired 14-point bench performance? Will Erik Spoelstra's defense continue to hold Roy Hibbert and David West to a combined 18 points?
And as much as one may like to believe the Wade of old has returned for good, this is still a man just one game removed from a five-turnover performance in which he shot 2-of-13 from the field.
We may never again see Wade look that bad, but that doesn't mean he'll remain in top form for the remainder of the postseason. Game 4's 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists looked good, but he had shot under 40 percent in each of his previous four games.
Even if the Heat win their next two games, this series has already taken a mental and physical toll on this roster.
Wade's real low wasn't his on-court performance in Game 3—it was his unbecoming treatment of head coach Spoelstra. Wade's superstar-conglomerate experiment is in trouble, and he knows it.
However confident LeBron and Wade appear at first glance, they are in survival mode. That carefree first round against the Knicks feels like a distant memory by now. Miami's convincing Game 4 win notwithstanding, the rest of the NBA now knows the East's best team is beatable.
It won't get any easier for the Heat. As the minutes (and bruises) mount, a postseason that once looked like Miami's to lose is now an uphill battle, and a surprisingly steep one at that.
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