The remainder of Dwyane Wade's career can be measured in a matter of weeks, but the veteran showed on Wednesday he can still do amazing things.
Wade hit an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Heat a 126-125 upset over the visiting Warriors. He had to pump fake to get the shot off, had his shot blocked, recovered the ball, and had the presence of mind to step back behind the arc, where he fired up the game winner off one foot.
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It banked in. Wade did not call it — when you're a 13-time All-Star, you don't have to call anything.
It's Wade's fifth career game-winning buzzer-beater, but first in almost 10 years. Yet afterward Wade brought up another shot from 10 years ago, Kobe Bryant's banked 3-pointer over Wade that gave the Lakers a win over the Heat on Dec. 4, 2009.
"I wondered when Kobe hit that game winner on me … I said, 'How is that possible?'" Wade told Fox Sports. "Thank you for showing me the way — 'Mamba' mentality."
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The 37-year-old Wade had a great game beyond that shot, coming off the bench to score 25 (he hit five of his eight 3-point attempts) and pulling down seven rebounds. Goran Dragic led the way for Miami with 27. Klay Thompson (36 points), Kevin Durant (29) and Stephen Curry (24) all had big nights for Golden State (43-18).
The Heat (27-33) are now just a half-game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It would be only fitting if Wade headed off into retirement with one final postseason appearance.
Studs of the Night
Eric Bledsoe posted a triple-double with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for the Bucks in an overtime win against the Kings.
Hawks guard Trae Young tallied 36 points and added 10 assists and eight rebounds in a 131-123 win over the Timberwolves.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 37 and collected 18 rebounds in the loss to the Hawks.
Damian Lillard scored 33 and had seven rebounds to key Portland's 97-92 win over Boston.
Hornets guard Kemba Walker had 35 points and five steals in Charlotte's 118-113 loss to Houston.
Duds of the Night
The Nets hit only eight of 35 3-point attempts, the difference in a 125-116 loss to the Wizards.
Highlights
The Vince Carter of 2010 would have posterized someone with a monster slam here, but this gravity-defying shot is still a thing of beauty.
Trae Young's perfect alley-oop finds John Collins for a reverse dunk.
What's Next?
76ers (39-22) at Thunder (38-22) 8 p.m. ET — Philadelphia star Joel Embiid will sit out his fourth straight game with tendinitis in his left knee, and his backup, Boban Marjanovic, injured his knee Monday and will not play. New acquisition Tobias Harris has stepped it up recently, averaging 24.3 points in his last four games while shooting 59 per cent from the field. Still, the 76ers are big underdogs against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
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