INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ― Miami’s season, the one that’s supposed to end in an NBA championship and vindication, was slipping away.

LeBron James brought it back.

And this time, Dwyane Wade helped him.

James scored 40 points, Wade added 30 ― 22 in the second half ― and Miami’s dynamic duo took over after halftime to get the Heat even in the series with a 101-93 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Sunday.

<YONHAP PHOTO-0407> Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) is defended by Indiana Pacers' Danny Granger during the second half of Game 4 of their NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series, Sunday, May 20, 2012, in Indianapolis. Miami won 101-93. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)/2012-05-21 07:39:10/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2012 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.> Miami Heat forward LeBron James is defended by Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger on Sunday. AP-Yonhap News
Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) is defended by Indiana Pacers' Danny Granger during the second half of Game 4 of their NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series, Sunday, May 20, 2012, in Indianapolis. Miami won 101-93. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)/2012-05-21 07:39:10/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2012 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.> Miami Heat forward LeBron James is defended by Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger on Sunday. AP-Yonhap News

Miami Heat forward LeBron James is defended by Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News)

With Chris Bosh injured and back in Florida, the James-Wade tandem saved the Heat, who will host Game 5 on Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

“Just survival,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “This is what the playoffs are about.”

James was at his MVP best, adding 18 rebounds and nine assists and refusing to let Miami’s season slip away.

“It’s still going to be a dogfight,” James said. “It’s a three-game series now.”

Wade rebounded from the worst playoff game of his career, shaking off a 1 of 8 shooting start and adding nine rebounds and six assists.

Danny Granger scored 20 to lead the Pacers, who had the Heat down but couldn’t put the defending conference champions away.

Down by 10 points in the third quarter, the Heat were in danger of having their championship dreams obliterated by an Indiana team outworking them at both ends and backed by a towel-waving fans.

Spurs reach West finals

Tim Duncan scored 21 points, Tony Parker added 17 and the San Antonio Spurs rallied in the final minutes to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 102-99 on Sunday night, closing out the series 4-0 and advancing to the Western Conference finals.

The Spurs extended their winning streak to 18 games and their playoff record to 8-0, tying the third-best postseason streak in franchise history.

Danny Green and Gary Neal added 14 points each, and Manu Ginobili and Thiago Splitter had 11 each for the Spurs.

San Antonio could find out as soon as Monday night who it will play next.


koreaherald@heraldcorp.com