There's no getting around it: The Miami Heat need Dwyane Wade at his best if they are going to win their third straight NBA championship in June.
While Miami was able to overcome an injury-prone Wade last postseason (knee issues led to him averaging a career playoff-low 15.9 points per game), they almost certainly wouldn't be so fortunate in 2014.
The Heat's likely Eastern Conference Finals opponent, the Indiana Pacers, have improved greatly since last season. Paul George, Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson have all taken sizable leaps, while the Pacers' defense is the best unit in basketball.
And the favorite to reach the Finals from the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are looking quite dangerous with Russell Westbrook healthy and Kevin Durant playing out of his mind.
As great as LeBron James is, he's going to need plenty of Wade's help to get past those two teams. Right now, there's reason to believe he will get it.
For all the scrutiny Wade has faced this year, he's actually having a terrific season. Y ...
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Article written by Sam Richmond