MIAMI — Dwyane Wade will do something unbelievable in the Heat's next two playoff games against Atlanta. They're home games, so you can book it.

Everybody remembers Game 3 of the 2006 NBA Finals at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Miami, trailing Dallas 0-2 in the best-of-seven series, was behind by 13 points with 6:30 to play. The Heat seemed destined for an 0-3 series deficit. During a timeout, an angered Wade declared, "I ain't goin' out like this," and proceeded to rally the Heat to a dramatic 98-96 victory as well as victories in Games 4 and 5 at the AAA

So at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, when the Heat hosts Atlanta in Game 3 of their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series at a soldout AmericanAirlines Arena (the series is tied at one game apiece), be in your seat or be in front of a TV, because Wade loves to move the crowd.

"It's a great feeling to thrill your fans," Wade said after Friday's practice. "To hear the roar of the crowd, whether you're going into a timeout or whether you just hit a major shot, to see everybody rise up, together, to cheer your team on, it's amazing."

Atlanta will try its best to prevent Wade from getting the crowd involved.

In Game 1, the Hawks double-teamed Wade and crowded the lane. It worked. Wade was held to 19 points (11 fewer than his league-leading, regular-season average of 30.2 points per game) and forced him into eight turnovers as the Hawks romped, 90-64.

In Game 2, Wade figured out Atlanta wouldn't double-team him on the perimeter, so he hit six three-pointers en route to a 33-point performance in a 108-93 Heat victory.

"We'll break this tape down and try to come up with plan B when we head out to Miami," Atlanta coach Mike Woodson said.

It's tough to say what Wade will do in Games 3 and 4 (Game 4 is Wednesday at the AAA), but because they're at the AAA you can bet it'll be something memorable.

Wade, the Heat's five-time All-Star, two-time Olympian and Finals MVP, goes to great lengths to avoid losing at home during the playoffs.

In Game 2 of the 2005 Eastern Conference finals, he had 40 points as the Heat evened their best-of-seven series against hated rival Detroit at one game apiece.

As a rookie, he hit that game-winning runner against New Orleans in Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series.

It's always something during home playoff games.

"You never know what he's going to do," said forward Udonis Haslem, who has been on the court for every one of Wade's big moments at the AAA - including the career-best, 55-point effort against New York this season as well as the steal and game-winning three-pointer as time expired in double overtime against Chicago. "He definitely has the knack for making big plays."

By CHRIS PERKINS
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer