Missing Dwyane Wade Has Been the Story of Eastern Conference Finals

For all the sources of disgust available to Miami Heat fans after the loss in Game 4, I made a list of my top five, from least to greatest:

1. Rondo criticizing Miami at halftime for "complaining and crying to referees" after the Cry Me a River tour he and Doc Rivers were headlining earlier this series.

2. Rondo kicking Shane Battier for no apparent reason after he barreled through him.

3. Erik Spoelstra in his postgame conference simultaneously acknowledging and downplaying the significance of his team coming out lifeless in the first half for the third straight game. This, by the way, led me to realize if Mahatma Gandhi were a Heat fan, he'd have punched Spo' in the eye by now. (It's OK, Erik. No one thinks you're a media puppet. You can start, you know, reacting.)

4. Terrible officiated calls against Miami, highlighted by LeBron James' fifth foul.

5. The sad reality that Miami didn't lose game four due to a Dwyane Wade miss as much as it did to him being missing yet again in the first half.

And that's where the focus should be on today.

Sure, last night's game-deciding basket was the difference between a team one foot from the NBA Finals instead of knee deep in a dog fight likely to go seven rounds.

But ask yourself this. Where would Miami be today if Dwyane Wade would've played at a high level in both halves of the last two games?

Perhaps a win away from the NBA Finals?

Perhaps already there?

Only to Miami's chagrin, the only thing being swept is the same persisting problem that prolonged Miami's series in the last round against the Pacers.

Wade's absence.

Do you really think it's a coincidence that Miami has faced a huge deficit going into halftime of its last three games while Wade has been off in the first half of those games?

Of course not.

This isn't a Heat team that can beat the Celtics with multiple weapons. As of right now, all Miami has is Wade and James.

Both need to dominate or else the team just can't win.

And, yes, I'm aware of the reports (via ESPN.com here) of Chris Bosh possibly coming back. I'm also aware that expecting him to be at or close to 100 percent is unrealistic.

Which is why if Miami hopes to regain control of this series, Wade must improve.

It's really that simple.

Besides, how badly does every Heat fan want to see Miami beat Boston just because it's them?

I mean, what's there to even like about them?

Kevin Garnett plays basketball like he's in the Colosseum.

Paul Pierce is an over-the-top has been.

Doc Rivers could write a thesis about the art of complaining to officials.

There is just no way Miami can lose to them.

And they won't if Wade stops playing like a part-time superstar.