Wade Is the Great Equalizer

The NBA Finals suddenly isn’t a one-team show, so guess who’s on their heels now?

The Miami Heat seemed rejuvenated and ready for a long fight Thursday night after a 98-74 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

All-Star guard Dwyane Wade continued to lead the turnaround, scoring a game-high 36 points to help Miami -- which dropped the first two games at Dallas -- even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.

Wade had a smashing encore to his 42-point, 13-rebound outing that helped the Heat overcome a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Game 3.

The three-year veteran set the tone again while playing through the pain of a knee injury he suffered in the previous game, scoring 24 points in the first half as Miami took a 10-point halftime lead and rolled from there.

“It’s a series now,” Wade said. “It’s 2-2, which is the way we knew it was going to be if we came out and played the way the Miami Heat can play.”

All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal was again effective in a reduced supporting role, scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, which was a key factor in the Heat’s having a double-digit advantage in rebounding for the second consecutive game. The Heat shot 51.5%.

“I told my guys that we played a lot of games this season where we needed to win, and this was a game that we really, really needed to win,” said O’Neal, who made consecutive free throws after he was knocked to the floor on a flagrant foul by Jerry Stackhouse in the third quarter.

“The guys came out and played well. The bench played well. It was the best our bench has played all series.”

Forward James Posey delivered Miami’s most productive performance off the bench in the Finals: 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Heat reserves outscored their supposedly more versatile Mavericks counterparts for the first time in the series.

And then there was the defense, which Miami has turned up a few notches in the last five quarters.

The Heat limited the Mavericks to 31.6% shooting, 13.6% from three-point range and only seven points in the final quarter -- an all-time Finals low.

“The bottom line is, if you shoot 31% from the floor, you’re not going to win,” said Dallas All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki, who missed 12 of 14 field-goal attempts.

Only a few days ago, many wondered whether the Heat would win a game in the series, let alone pull even with the deeper, younger Mavericks.

Now, the Heat could take a lead in the Finals in Game 5 on Sunday before returning to Dallas for Game 6.

Things have changed quickly, and the Mavericks have their hands full.

“We did not handle it well in Dallas,” Miami Coach Pat Riley said. “We just didn’t play well in Dallas. Today, we played our best game.”

At the right time too.

For their part, the Mavericks wanted to reassert themselves in the Finals after squandering a big lead down the stretch in Game 3.

It didn’t happen for the Mavericks, because of their shooting.

In addition to Nowitzki’s problems, forward Josh Howard was one for eight and sixth man Stackhouse was six for 18. Miami outrebounded Dallas, 48-36, and also won the bench battle in points (albeit barely), 23-22.

Those numbers couldn’t lead anywhere good for the Mavericks, Coach Avery Johnson said.

“We are not going to win many of our games when two of our better players go three for 22,” Johnson said of Nowitzki and Howard.

O’Neal had foul trouble early, but Dallas failed to capitalize because of Wade, who had 14 points in the first quarter.

The Mavericks cut the lead to 10 points, 80-70, early in the fourth quarter, but O’Neal made two free throws (he was five for 10 from the line) and Posey connected on a three-pointer that extended the lead to 15.

There was some excitement in the third when Stackhouse fouled O’Neal, who took a pass from Jason Williams on a fastbreak, sending the three-time Finals most valuable player into the front row to the right of the basket.

The crowd and Heat bench reacted angrily. Riley went on the court to escort forward Antoine Walker, who was assessed a technical foul, back to the bench.

“It was a hard foul,” Stackhouse said. “He was going to the basket.”

Said O’Neal: “My daughters tackle me harder when I come home.”