Heat beat Spurs in NBA Finals Game 4 to tie series at 2 - 2

For all the talk that the Miami Heat's championship reign rested squarely on the shoulders of LeBron James, that these NBA Finals would turn on how well or poorly the King played, Dwyane Wade knew the truth. If the Heat were going to beat the San Antonio Spurs, he would need to play better, too.

James had worn his shooting shirt like a cape to the Heat's practice on Wednesday, making a show of his declaration to lead his teammate into Game 4. Turns out, Wade preferred to wait until tipoff to put on the real one.
Looking like the Wade of old instead of Old Wade, he totaled 32 points, six rebounds, four assists and six steals to lead the Heat to a 109-93 Game 4 victory over the Spurs Thursday night at the AT&T Center. The victory squares the series at 2-2 and assures the Finals will return to Miami for a sixth game, if not also a seventh. If the Spurs are going to dethrone the Heat, they will have to win at least once more on the Heat's court.

For that, the Heat can thank Wade as much as James. Wade had his moments early in the first three games of the Finals, but he had also struggled to close those games. That wasn't the case Thursday. Eighteen of Wade's points came in the second half.
Wade's 32 matched his high since March 4. He hadn't even scored more than 22 points since March 17. He also became the first player to have at least 30 points and six steals in a Finals game since Detroit Pistons Hall of Fame guard Isiah Thomas did it in 1988.

James wasn't too bad, either, totaling 33 points and 10 rebounds. Chris Bosh added 20 points and 13 rebounds. For the first time in these Finals, the Heat's Big Three looked like the powerful trio that carried Miami to last year's championship.
"When those guys play like that, you better be playing a more perfect game," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
From James to Wade to Bosh, the Heat came into Game 4 with a renewed sense of urgency. No team has ever won the Finals after trailing 3-1 in the series, and Miami had little interest in trying to become the first.

Game on. See you at game 5 still in AT&T Center in Spurs before it moves to Miami for games 6 & 7.