Brooklyn Nets: 3 takeaways from perfect ending in finale against Heat

3. Brooklyn responds to give Wade a fitting farewell

Barclays Center erupted with every basket Dwyane Wade and cheered loudly when the 16-year veteran playing in his final NBA game assisted on a basket by Udonis Haslem to complete a triple-double.

A sellout crowd in Brooklyn roared in appreciation for Wade’s career early and often Wednesday night, giving the former Finals MVP and three-time NBA champion the send-off he deserved.

Wade scored 25 points with 11 rebounds and 10 assists, just the fifth triple-double of the future Hall of Famer’s legendary career and his first in more than eight years, since Feb. 4, 2011.

He didn’t shoot particularly well in his finale, going 10-for-28, but the triple-double is what everyone will remember, not the rough shooting night.

Wade will enter the Hall of Fame in 2023, his first year of eligibility, along with fellow retiring legend Dirk Nowitzki, who went for 20 points and 10 rebounds in his final game against the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night.

Save for a single season with the Chicago Bulls and part of a campaign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wade was the Miami Heat for most of the last two decades.

He led the Heat to their first title in 2006, outdueling Nowitzki and the Mavericks in the Finals while earning the Finals MVP honors. He later teamed up with fellow 2003 draftees LeBron James and Chris Bosh for back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 during a run of four straight Finals appearances.

Wade won a scoring title in 2008-09, was named All-NBA eight times, was a three-time All-Defensive selection and made his 13th All-Star appearance this season, when he and Nowitzki were named as special commissioner’s choices by Adam Silver.

The 25 points gave Wade a career total of 23,165, moving him past Elgin Baylor into 29th on the NBA’s all-time list.

Wade retires as one of just nine players in NBA history to average at least 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, joining Hall of Famers Rick Barry, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Jerry West and current stars Stephen Curry, James Harden, James and Russell Westbrook.

The Barclays Center crowd recognized greatness, as it did when Nowitzki paid his final visit to the arena last month, and made for a special atmosphere for Wade’s final run.