Game Three of the Pistons-Heat series was significant for a variety of reasons: Miami took a 2-1 lead in the series (a lead that would swell to 3-1 two nights later). Chauncey Billups regressed into a former version of himself that Boston Celtics fans would recognize (read: a point guard that dribbles for the entire shot clock every time down the court). Antoine Walker beat Rasheed Wallace off the dribble approximately 712 times. And — most importantly — the Real Dwyane Wade returned to the forefront.

Let me clarify something before I go any further. D-Wade has been great in the 2006 postseason. His efficient performance in Game One against Detroit was an instructional video on "how to overcome foul trouble." He had several performances against New Jersey that were terrific. However, for the bulk of the 2006 playoffs, Wade has been teasing us. He's had moments here and there where he shown glimpses of the Superhero that was born in the 2005 postseason. You remember that guy, right? The one that elevated his game to near Jordan levels and launched conversations about the 2003 Draft Revisited (the favorite argument was: "Who would you take number one now? Wade or LeBron?"). Many pundits and publications anointed Wade as the "best player in the NBA" in last year's Eastern Conference Finals, and while that might have been the result of getting caught up in the moment, it sure wasn't very far off either.

Then Wade mysteriously hurt his rib, the Pistons backed their way into another NBA Finals (you can read the column I wrote about this last year for more information), and everyone quickly forgot about Wade's incredible run. In fact, other than a brief flurry of MVP talk this season, Wade was largely ignored despite posting monster numbers and emerging as one of the best players in the world. But that is the way of modern sports - out of sight, out of mind. The Heat weren't much of a story this year (an obvious contender that slowly played its way into shape), so Wade was bypassed for grander tales such as: LeBron's ascension (understandable), Elton Brand and the Clippers turning things around, Kobe scoring like a madman, Nash and the Suns staying afloat without Amare, Dirk and the Mavs becoming elite, and Billups and the Pistons taking a run at 70 wins.

Nobody gave Wade much thought at all.

Obviously, the playoffs are the time when all of that changes. No longer does the media control the storylines, but rather the storylines control the media. If the Pistons squeak past the Cavs, they have to write about how "resilient" Detroit is. If the Nets get blown out by the Heat, there go all of your "nobody wants to play the Nets" stories (the dumbest ESPN the Magazine cover of all time). That is what I love about the postseason - all that matters is what happens on the court. Everyone sees pretty much every game, so you can't spin things to your liking. You just have to say it like it is.