The Miami Heat weren’t much fun last year, after LeBron James took his talents back to Cuyahoga County. And the Indiana Pacers haven’t been fun since ... the Malice at the Palace? This year is different, though—both teams have consistently been must-watch early-shift League Pass teams, thanks in large part to Paul George making a strong case that he’s the Eastern Conference MVP (if such a thing existed) and the unexpected resurgence of Dwyane Wade.
Last night, in an entertaining matchup between the Heat and the Pacers, D-Wade got up like it was 2006. (Or maybe 2009—RIP Anderson Varajao.) Goran Dragic deserves a lot of credit for the reverse half-court alley-oop—that’s a precise rocket of a pass—but watching Wade, who looked like he might drop off precipitously after an off-year, regain his power and finesse is a gift. I’d make the joke that D-Wade traveled through time to dunk that ball, but he’s been playing this well all year. (He also hit a buzzerbeater to force overtime.) The Heat won 103-100.