Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics Save LeBron James from Further Clutch Embarrassment

The Miami Heat got the win that they needed on the road.

It's hard to see them blowing this series, as they take a 3-1 lead back to South Beach.

One thing's for certain though.

The Heat are no more convincing at the buzzer. The doubts must still linger.

Boston Celtics could have easily tied this series at 2-2.

Paul Pierce was entrusted with the final shot in regular time. The Cs took possession with 19.5 seconds on the clock. Pierce never got the high screen Kevin Garnett was supposed to set and in the end had to go left rather than to his favorite sweet spot.

The shot wasn't pretty and the game was tied 86-86 at the end of regulation.

I give LeBron James' clutch game a pass on this occasion.

But it wasn't pretty.

James made two special plays down the stretch. The first, an isolation three-pointer in front of the Cs bench as the shot clock expired. This tied the game at 84 with two minutes on the clock.

The second, a patient pivot and lay-up to give the Heat an 86-84 lead with 48 seconds remaining.

The worrying sign for the Heat is the lack of structured offense in the closing stages.

Dwyane Wade barely laid hands on leather in the final stages and James was simply left to his devices. Whether this is the directive of coach Erik Spoelstra or James himself, we don't know. But it lacked fluidity and potency.

While James came good on two occasions, he could well have been labelled the villain had Pierce hit the match-winning shot.

With 1:25 remaining in regulation, James took an unlikely three-point shot late in the clock, the game tied. It was never going in, and Ray Allen grabbed the defensive rebound.

Once more, James had the chance to be the hero on the Heat's final possession of the fourth. With the shot clock again running low, James backed into Pierce and turned it over. Ray Allen came up with the steal and James Jones quickly fouled before the Celtics could score in transition.

Suddenly it was Celtics' ball, one final shot to level the series 2-2.

No doubt had Pierce made that 20-footer, James would again be subject to harsh criticism from the press and fans alike.

Luckily for "King James," the Celtics were sloppy in overtime and the Heat were, in the end, comfortable victors.

Surely coach Spo is under no illusions. The Heat's clutch-time offensive sets need work. Dwyane Wade is simply too good of a player to go 24 seconds without impacting a possession.

Move the ball. Keep the defense guessing.

LeBron James is no Michael Jordan. Nor is Dwyane Wade.

Neither should have to be.

James and Wade are the best two-man combo in basketball right now. Why is this suddenly forgotten during the game's most crucial moments?

The Miami Heat may well end Boston's season Wednesday in Florida.

But they won't be world champions until they can close out a game together.