BROOKLYN NETS

Like Dwyane Wade would tell you, some things are just bigger than basketball. The final game of his career tonight in Brooklyn was one of those things.

The league was out in force to honor the future Hall of Famer. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul were all in attendance for the last dance of Wade’s NBA career. With the Brooklyn Nets already having secured their playoff spot and the Miami Heat being mathematically eliminated, there wasn’t much to play for in this game for either team. It showed in the level of play, but who’s complaining?

Full disclosure: There isn’t much to discuss about the game. The Nets ran away with it early and it was never really close. Tonight was much less about the game than it was about the history being made. Brooklyn played well across the board and secured their first winning season in way too long. Dwyane Wade earned the fifth and final triple-double of his storied career, his first since February 2011.

It was an emotional night all around and a perfect way for the Nets to end the regular season. This game, with all of the national media attention, with all of the big stars in attendance, was one of the best practices for the intensity of the postseason.

It wasn’t a perfect game of basketball, but it was a perfect night in Barclays Center.