Heat guard Dwyane Wade ignores the criticism

MIAMI –—

It was a new feeling for Heat guard Dwyane Wade.

Rarely had he been criticized throughout his career until his poor performance in Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He responded with a 30-point performance in Game 4, but said he ignored the critics.

“It’s a part of life,” Wade said. “I’m not someone who thinks that I’m above anything. So I understand how this world works a little bit. I’m 30 years old. I kind of get it. I know when everything is going well, everything is going well. When everything is going bad, everything seems bad.”

Wade spoke of his early-season struggles in the series, saying the rim at times appeared the size of a “Cheerio” when other games it “opens up like the ocean.” He called it just a matter of playing through the difficult stretches.

“Sometimes you’re a part of it, the talk, sometimes you’re not,” Wade said. “So you just got to be who you are. You got to stay even keel… Eventually it will turn around.”

Wade, who has dealt with knee soreness throughout the series, declined to discuss his health. He said he will be ready for Tuesday’s Game 5 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

“It’s sports,” Wade said. “You don’t play sports without aches and pains.”

Bosh still out

The Heat are still uncertain about the possible return of forward Chris Bosh.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said it’s “too early to tell” when Bosh could rejoin the team after missing the past three games with a strained lower abdominal muscle. Spoelstra said the recovery is ongoing.

“I saw him (Monday) morning,” Spoelstra said. “He’s doing his rehab … He had a smile on his face. He’s doing some work, but he won’t be joining us (Tuesday).”

Bosh suffered the injury late in the second quarter of the Heat’s victory in Game 1. He was averaging 14.7 points and 6.8 rebounds in the postseason.

“He’s not even near any court work right now,” Spoelstra said.

Forward LeBron James sounded like the team is expecting to play the remainder of the series without Bosh.

“He’s out indefinitely,” James said. “It’s not like we’ve moved on but guys are stepping up… We can’t worry about (what) he’d give us.”

Humor in dunk attempt

Swingman James Jones provided the team with some comic relief on the plane ride home from Indianapolis on Sunday night.

They watched film from Game 4 on the flight, allowing them opportunity to relive Jones’ missed dunk. Jones, more known for his 3-point shooting, failed miserably on the attempt.

“Probably the funniest thing that’s happened all year,” Wade said. “He wasn’t close. That was the funniest moment on the plane.”