Phew

The youthful and trade ravaged Washington Wizards set out to break the 11 game win streak and they almost did. Led by the ultra talented Nick Young and his 30 points, the Wizards seemingly had the game in the bag with under a minute to go. Seemingly.

The Wizards gave Bosh an open look from 3, which he unsurprisingly hit. The reason I say that is because it’s not the first time he has hit a big 3 this year. He has done it at least twice from memory. I believe he has only hit 3 three pointers this season, all have been in the last minute of the last quarter. Whilst he’s not considered as a clutch player to many, nor an overly good player to many, including me, Bosh hit a big time shot and gave his team a chance at winning. Washington went down the other end and made 2/4 free throws, with Josh Howard grabbing the rebound of his miss, but missing again.

The Heat went down court again and Bosh found himself with the ball. He pump faked and drew Blatche off his feet. Poor play from Blatche given it was not only a jump shot, not only a three point jump shot, but Chris Bosh attempting the three point jump shot. Bosh made 2/3 from the line. The youthful Wizards chose not to take a timeout, advance the ball up court and allow them with more than double the space from a baseline inbound. This resulted in the Heat taking the ball, drawing a foul and tying the game.

Hinrich went down the other end drew a foul, and preceded to make just 1/2 from the free throw line where he shoots over 85% on the season. Wade then flew down court, drew a foul, hit both shots and won the game for the Heat. The Wizards let them off the hook big time. But give the Heat credit for playing through the entire 48 minutes, and for Wade and Bosh who struggled throughout the course of the game, making crucial plays down the stretch.

It has taken me 4 paragraphs to mention LeBron James, but I was saving the best for last. His 32 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, a LeBron James classic, was his second consecutive 30+ point game. He looked to pick off where he did the night before, burning the Wizards with three pointers and fast break dunks. Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of his game tonight was his free throw shooting, which we all know is spotty at best.

LeBron had his hands on the ball the majority of the fourth quarter for the Heat, but rarely saw it during the final few minutes. The debate whether the Heat is LeBron’s team or Wade’s team has grown tiresome and there really isn’t a whole lot of good in discussing it. Wade was there first, he made them the team they are. LeBron is the more dominant, better player. Do with that what you will. But for people calling James ‘Robin’, hear the wise words of Mark Jackson.

“LeBron James is Robin to no one”.

Nonetheless it was Wade who had the majority of the ball in the telling moments of the game. Over the past few years the Kobe vs LeBron war has divided the universe. Most people say they would take LeBron for the first 3 quarters, Kobe for the fourth. Some say they would take LeBron for the first 3 quarters and 10 minutes, but Kobe for the last 2 minutes. When talking about the most clutch players in the game, LeBron is often, and unfairly, overlooked.

Fact is LeBron James has scored more fourth quarter points in the last 5 years than any other player in the NBA. LeBron James has scored the most amount of points in ‘clutch time’ or the last two minutes of the game in the last 5 years than any other player in the NBA. Just because LeBron does not have the buzzer beaters of Kobe, Melo and Baron Davis does not mean he is missing game winners. I can think of several games off the top of my head when LeBron has hit the game winner in the last 5 seconds of the game, but not necessarily on the buzzer. Think the slashing layup in Portland a few years ago. Think the baseline drive against Washington in the playoffs many years ago. Think the 2 or 3 traffic scoops against Pistons in that famous Conference Finals series in 2007. But no one seems to remember these.

The last 3 seasons LeBron was at the Cavs they had the most fourth quarter comebacks of any team in the league. You don’t win 125 games in two seasons with an otherwise average team unless you can handle your business late in games. I’ve grown tired of the assumption LeBron does not take, hit or deserve recognition for his late game antics.

This prejudice has stemmed from his rookie and sophomore years, when he passed the ball to OPEN teammates to take the game winning attempt. He was questioned then, but he responded. Yet no one cared. 25 straight and 29 of the previous 30 against the all conquering Pistons in 2007, through double overtime at the Palace of Auburn Hills. One of the greatest and most clutch performances in the history of the game. Not to mention he was 22 years of age.

So the Heat had the ball in Wade’s hands at the end of the game last night. Wade who at the 11th minute in the fourth quarter had 18 points on 7-19 shooting, 2-5 from 3 and 4-6 from the line. He was there first. It was up until the 8th of July, 2010, that Dwyane Wade wore the long black cape and was unchallenged in Miami. But that day he collected his cape from the dry cleaners and found it to have been faded into a yellow. Instead of a large bat there was now a distinctive ‘R’.

Holy usurp Batman, I’m the Robin of my own team!