Ranking Dwyane Wade’s greatest moments

Dwyane Wade is not just a Miami hero. He is one of the top 30 greatest players in NBA history, and one of the nicest guys for media to cover, according to the people who were around him all the time.

Recently, Patrick Beverly ruffled some feathers with his take on the Wade v. James Harden all-time debate, which got a firm response from Wade. I get it: most people‘s initial reaction when that happened was to say, “Who the heck is Beverley?” But no matter how loud or ignorant he gets, it can’t erase reality and that’s Wade having a surplus of playoff moments that make him more special than a lot of people‘s favorites.

He was like Superman but smaller, and had the heart of a warrior since day one, never shrinking from big moments.

Let us review them...

Honorable mentions:

Wade v. Purple Shirt Guy, 2016

This was in Wade’s “Father Prime” era, when he had to rely more on his intelligence, and 2015-16 was his last real All-Star season. The Heat played the Charlotte Hornets in round one, and a court-side heckler in a purple shirt, also wearing a headband, insisted on heckling Wade, which was a big mistake as the team won a critical Game 6 in Charlotte.

Game 2 against Washington, 2005

This game was closer than it should have been, and some might point to his seven turnovers (four in the fourth), but it was one of his top all-around performances of his young career, as he logged a personal best in playoff assists (15), with seven rebounds, and 31 points on 66.7 percent shooting. Keep in mind that a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio or higher is excellent.

5. Game 3 at Philadelphia, 2011

He was never one to shy away from contact in the trenches, and he helped the Heat take an insurmountable lead with six offensive rebounds in a six-point game. On top of that, he tied LeBron James for most points in the fourth quarter (8), while dishing three assists.

4. Game 4 against Boston, 2010

Wade at the peak of his powers was unstoppable, and opponents had no chance on the rare nights his 3-point shot was falling. He made five treys in Game 4 and denied the Boston Celtics a sweep, producing 46 points (playoff career high) in 43 minutes. Those Celtics would advance to the finals and lose in seven against the Los Angeles Lakers.

3. Game six at Indiana, 2012

Most people either remember this series because of the flare-up with Wade and coach Erik Spoelstra, which could have been devastating, or how the former finished the series by setting Bankers Life Fieldhouse on fire with 41 points and 10 rebounds. Who could forget shifting by Paul George, and making his floater over 7’ 2 Roy Hibbert in the first quarter? Additionally, Chris Bosh was absent with an abdominal injury, and the team was starting Ronny Turiaf.

2. Game four at San Antonio, 2013

The San Antonio Spurs were a formidable rival that kept giving the Heat problems and had taken a 2-1 lead going into Game Four. This was back when the Finals were a 2-3-2 format, so losing the next one in San Antonio could have been a death sentence. But Wade, whose superpowers were eluding him, arrived in top form, and it was one of the last times Flash was seen on the biggest stage, and he notably had three of his six steals in the fourth quarter. LeBron James ended with one more point (33), but it was Wade who delivered in the crucible.

1. 2006 Finals

Is it cheating to name a whole series as a moment? Eh, so what? Wade was the best player in the world for two weeks, and he couldn’t be stopped from getting to the body. He was the driving force that brought his team back from a two-game deficit and had one of the most heroic moments of all time in Game 3. The team was down 12 points in the fourth quarter and he said, “ I ain't going out like this.”