Finding touch when Heat needed it most, Wade rises to occasion in Game 4 of Finals

SAN ANTONIO — Trying to guard Dwyane Wade proved impossible for Tiago Splitter. Same goes for Boris Diaw.

Of course, that's to be expected. Both are big men who, well, won't be confused for nine-time All-Stars anytime soon.

What proved to be one of the biggest keys for the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night was that it wasn't just Splitter or Diaw who couldn't guard Wade — but that no one else wearing San Antonio uniforms could, either.

The finals is now a best-of-three matchup that will be decided next week in Miami, thanks largely to Wade, who came up with his best game in months as the Heat knotted the series. Wade had 32 points, six rebounds, six steals and four assists, and the Heat shook off an early 10-point deficit to beat the Spurs 109-93 on Thursday night.

"He was 'Flash' tonight," LeBron James said.

"'Flash' was back," Mike Miller added.

Flash is the Shaquille O'Neal-given moniker that Wade went by when he carried the Heat to the 2006 title. He hasn't been called that often in recent years, but it seemed more than appropriate Thursday night.

He made 14 of 25 shots, significant in both terms of success ratio and amount, since it's the second-highest shot total he's taken this season. He also scored 18 points in the second half, just the sixth time this season that's happened and perhaps ending the trend of Wade — who has been slowed by a sore right knee for three months, though James said it's been an "all year" problem — losing his offensive game in second halves.

"No matter how great you are, no matter what your resume is, to have a game like this, it lets you know that you're still one bad ... you know the next two words. I can't say, my kids may be watching," James said. "That dude was amazing. Like I said, he was '06 Flash tonight. And we needed every bit of him."

The biggest adjustment for Wade came hours before Game 4.

It was when Miami coach Erik Spoelstra made the decision to start Miller over Udonis Haslem, with the thinking that it would help thwart San Antonio's defensive schemes against James.

Instead, it served as a time machine of sorts for Wade — who found his form again, on a night when the Heat absolutely needed it most.

Oh, they showed up in Game 4.

Wade had 32. James had 33 points and 11 rebounds. Bosh had 20 points and 13 rebounds.

And no Spur had more than 20 points.

Voila. Series tied, and no one looked more relieved than Wade.

"His floor game was there from the beginning," Spoelstra said. "The six steals, the deflections, his activity around the rim when he was there. We obviously have so much more versatility when our wings cover that type of ground. But he was extremely aggressive tonight."

He is not the 2006 version anymore, without question.

"Except for tonight," Miller said. "Tonight, he was."

And what the Spurs did against him defensively Thursday had to strike a nerve.

Because the Heat started Miller, the Spurs had no choice but to open the game with Splitter — their center — guarding Wade. That experiment ended after 47 seconds. And in the second half, the Spurs went to Diaw — another person who it's difficult to envision guarding a former Finals MVP who's quicker and smaller — to open against Wade.

Both stints were brief. Nonetheless, something got Wade going.