Heat Vs. 76ers Final Score: Game 1 Goes To Miami, 97-89, After Dwyane Wade’s Heroics

The Miami Heat have had questions about what to do in crunch time all season. Late in today’s Game 1, Dwyane Wade supplied an answer.

Wade scored five of his 17 points in the last two minutes — two on an absurd leaner that kissed the glass and fell in — to steady the Heat late, and Miami secured a 1-0 lead with a 97-89 win over the Sixers at American Airlines Arena.

Despite his late heroics, Wade was not the Heat’s finest player on the day. LeBron James likely deserved that honor with his 21 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. And if he didn’t, Chris Bosh’s 25-point, 12-rebound performance probably merited consideration.

But the Heat did well as a team when the Big Three weren’t all in, too — three of the Heat’s four bench players finished with positive plus-minuses — and it was the zone defense the Heat used to grind out possessions that made the biggest difference.

Thaddeus Young, whose fourth quarter included losing his shoe and making a showy reverse alley-oop lay-up on different plays, led the Sixers with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Andre Iguodala had just four points for Philadelphia, but added nine assists and eight rebounds.

Game 2 of Heat vs. Sixers will tip at 7:00 p.m. Monday night, and be televised by TNT.

Be sure to check out our full Heat vs. 76ers series preview. For more on Miami, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For Sixers coverage, check out Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly.