Heat outlast Pistons

MIAMI – The 12-point lead Miami held minutes earlier was whittled to a single point, and Antonio McDyess rose for a dunk that would have given the Detroit Pistons the lead and all the momentum.

Dwyane Wade chose that moment to take over.

“Guys look at me and say, ‘It’s your time,’ ” Wade said. “That’s all you need.”

He blocked McDyess’ dunk try, then had a three-point play 8 seconds later to end a huge Detroit run. The Heat went on to beat the Pistons 98-83 on Saturday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“Play of the game,” Pistons coach Flip Saunders said.

Wade scored 35 points, Shaquille O’Neal added 27 points and 12 rebounds, and they combined to shoot 24 for 32 from the floor for the Heat, who find themselves in the same situation they were in a year ago – up 2-1 over the Pistons in the East finals, two wins from the franchise’s first trip to the NBA Finals.

“We took it upon ourselves, once again, to be the leaders of the team and help this team get a win,” Wade said.

The Pistons thwarted those plans last year, rallying to win in seven games. If they have visions on doing that again, they’ll have to find a way to slow Wade and Shaq, who scored at will.

“That’s why they’re here,” Heat coach Pat Riley said.

Chauncey Billups scored 11 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter for Detroit. Richard Hamilton added 20 points before fouling out and Rasheed Wallace had 11, but Tayshaun Prince – who averaged 20 points in the first two games of the series – had three.

“What it’s come down to every game is whoever is most aggressive from start to finish has come away with a victory,” Billups said. “That’s one thing that we’ve got to keep in mind.”

Game 4 is Monday night in Miami.