Heating Up
SAN ANTONIO — LeBron James wanted the responsibility on his powerful shoulders.
Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh proved Thursday it doesn’t have to be that way.
James can win the Miami Heat plenty of games, but even he can’t win a title alone.
“We’re not going to win this series if myself, Chris and LeBron don’t show up to play on a consistent basis,” Wade said.
“So tonight was kind of one of the best performances that we all had in the playoffs together at the same time, just being aggressive from start to finish, and hopefully that’s what we can see for the next three games.”
Riding big performances from their Big Three, the Heat tied the NBA Finals with a 109-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4.
“It was on our shoulders,” James said. “We had to figure out how to win the game for us and play at the highest level. When all three of us are clicking we’re very tough to beat.”
James had 33 points and 11 rebounds after failing to break 20 points in any of the first three games of the series, and Wade scored 32 points, 11 more than his previous high this postseason.
Bosh matched his playoff high with 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, he and Wade supplying the baskets that put the Spurs away for good midway through the fourth quarter.
Three players, 85 points. Just the way the Heat envisioned it when they signed James and Bosh to play with Wade in 2010.
“The death of the Big Three was overrated,” Heat owner Micky Arison said as he walked toward the winning locker room.
Sure was. His three prized players are just fine, and so are the Heat’s championship hopes.
“When Bosh, Wade and James score the way they did tonight and shoot it the way they did tonight, a team is going to have a difficult time if you help them like we did,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
“When those guys are playing like that, you better be playing a perfect game.”
