The game had reached this point, and swathes of empty seats were now visible in the stands, with about a third of the fans having left early.
The loyalty of Miami Heat fans was vividly on display at this moment.
Still, many fans were holding out hope for a comeback like in the third quarter. A 5-point deficit with 44 seconds to go, and they still had possession!
On the Miami Heat's offense, James said he'd been attacking for a few rounds and was tired, needing a break, so he passed the ball to Wade.
Wade had no doubts, his good brother wouldn't possibly cower from attacking with 44 seconds left—he picked up the explosive pack and charged into the paint.
In the past few rounds with James taking the lead on offense, Wade indeed got some relief. This play was very beautiful; under Duncan's pressure, Wade did an air adjustment with a low-hand layup, avoiding the block and scoring off the glass!
Popovich called for a timeout to make substitutions.