Chris Bosh has become the emotional force of Miami's Big 3 as the Heat have taken a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder./AP Photo.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are oh so cool.

Anyone still wearing the flip-up glasses like D-Wade did after Game 4 or glasses without lenses as he and James have done in these playoffs are “smoothed out on the R&B tip with a pop feel appeal” like Bell Biv Devoe back in the 1990s.

However, Bosh has become that fire breathing dragon who lights the Heat’s emotional fuse.

He will always be the third wheel of Miami’s Big 3, but Bosh, who was the man in Toronto, is doing all the dirty work stars rarely do to help the Heat win a title: Dive on the floor for loose balls.  Get offensive boards. Block shots. Defend.

And when asked to score, Bosh can still knock down the jumper and finish pick-and-roll plays at the rim.

However, Bosh has become that emotional leader for Miami. He’s the one you see getting the crowd going by flexing and pumping his fist.

He’s the one barking at teammates and getting them pumped up right before play resumes.

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LeBron James and Dwyane Wade must take over or find themselves watching the NBA Finals from home./AP

60.

That’s the magic number.

With Chris Bosh out with an abdominal injury that will take 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 weeks to heal depending on who you believe, the Miami Heat need their two superstars – LeBron James and Dwyane Wade – to average at least 60 points in order for the Heat to get past the Indiana Pacers and win it all.

Right now, James and Wade are averaging a combined 46.6 points in this Eastern Conference semifinals series that the Heat are trailing 2-1 heading into Sunday’s Game 4 in Indianapolis.

James is at 27.3 a game. Wade 19.3.

That’s not enough.

In desperate times, the superstars get it done.

Ten years ago, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant showed us all how.

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He's the third option for Miami's Big 3, but in the playoffs, Heat power forward Chris Bosh is starting to look like he belongs with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade./AP Photo.

Chris Bosh has felt the heat this season and not just from moving from Toronto to Miami.

The Heat power forward has been criticized by many, including myself, for playing too soft or passive. He’s part of the latest Big 3, but Bosh wasn’t carrying his weight like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had been.

In the playoffs, Bosh has been playing closer to his potential, particularly in the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls. Bosh averaged 23.2 points in the series the Heat won in five games. He had two 30-point games in the series and in Game 5, Bosh’s double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds was needed to beat the Bulls in Chicago.

He’s still the third option heading into his first NBA Final to James and Wade, but if he plays well, that will make it even more difficult for the Mavericks to slow down the Heat.

Here are four other keys to the series for the Heat.

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Germany's Dirk Nowitzki has always been a scorer (Avg. 23 PPG in 13 NBA seasons), but being a more complete player has turned him into an even tougher cover./AP Photo.

Dirk Nowitzki is not better than LeBron James. He’s just been playing better in the playoffs. At least that’s what everyone is saying.

All we hear now is how Nowitzki has become this unstoppable player.

Hello?

Dirk  has always been a tough cover. The difference is he’s finding teammates so he’s making opponents pay for however they guard him.

Making his second trip to the NBA Finals, the 7-footer, one-legged shot maker with range from El Paso is one of the five keys to the series. If he can force Miami to have to double team him, that opens up the entire Dallas offense.

Here are other four keys for Dallas in the finals, which begins Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Miami.

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1. Eddie House was waiting for Daniel Gibson to come out the locker room. It took two security guards and teammate Carlos Arroyo to talk him into coming into the locker room.
2. Kept seeing Wally Szczerbiak walking around.
3. Said hello to TNT’s David Aldridge. Good guy.
4. Erik Spolestra kept talking about how his team handled this “extreme” situation. Called it a playoff atmosphere. He also said it was nice to see the team stand up and play well for LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Then he said he was told a battery was thrown at the Heat bench, but was confident in the security.
5. Saw Daniel Gibson leaving with his wife, singer Keyshia Cole. Hope he went the opposite way of the Heat bench.
6. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert was heated. He walked out with the wind to his back.
7. Saw J.J. Hickson laughing after the game (Why, your team just got beat down).
8. Waiting for LeBron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh to do postgame in the open room Cleveland has. They use that area for the playoffs.
9. Then Miami’s Big 3 came out.
10. LeBron was asked all the questions expect one, which went to D-Wade.
11. In short, LeBron basically said he wasn’t going to apologize for doing the charity work for the kids in “The Decision” part. Said he lives with his decisions and has never regretted any decision he’s made. Said the execution of “The Decision” was a tad bit off. Talked about how the team played well. Continually said he had nothing against the Cleveland fans and understand they were going to do everything they could to help their team win. Said the Cavalier fans were not on his list of people who he was keeping a mental checklist. Said the chatter he had with the Cleveland teammates on the bench was fun for him (Doubt it was fun for the other team).
12. Then the Miami PR people cut the interview much to the dismay of ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. She was looking at them like, “Are you serious?” Then the Miami Big 3 walked out just as James used to do when he was with Cleveland.

1. LeBron James starts the Q on the bench. Never comes back in game.
2. D-Wade and Chris Bosh come out with 6:56 left in the Q.
3. Cup came out of the stands. Security surrounds the Heat bench.
4. LeBron laughing.
5. 6:12 Daniel Gibson 3.
6. Sign “We should have signed Darko”
7. 5:09 Fans leaving.
8. LeBron talking to J.J. Hickson as Hickson walked on the court.
9. Fans cursing at Cavs to play better.
10. Technical fouls on Eddie House (Heat) and Daniel Gibson (Cavs).
11. Timeout Miami (Why). 2:25 left.
12. James salutes a fan.
13. More security behind the bench.
14. Wade, James, Bosh having fun on bench.
15. Mario Chalmers hits 3 (LeBron stands up) :56 seconds left.
16. LeBron smiling.
17. Guy takes picture of LeBron on bench wearing a Cavs jacket.
18. End of game. LeBron hugs Cleveland forward Jawad Williams. Rest of Cavs leave.
19. Final score: Heat win 118-90. Final line for James (38 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds).

Halftime: Cleveland coach Byron Scott not happy with team. Charles Barkley said the Cavs shouldn’t be chatting it up with James on the bench. Says it’s lack of being competitive.
1. LeBron James starts Q hot.
2. D-Wade is just as hot.
3. LeBron scored two easy buckets and Cleveland called timeout early in Q.
4. When Miami got it rolling, Cleveland started giving up. Weak fouls.
5. LeBron caught a lob pass from D-Wade with one hand and laid it in.
6. 88-55 Heat with 2:50 left. Wow.
7. A little rowdy nature in the stands. Drunk fan arrested.
8. 20 points in the Q for LeBron.
9. LeBron to the rim again – and 1 (Missed FT 36 points, season high 22 in third).
10. LeBron ended Q with 38 points (24 in the Q – went 1o of 12). His last bucket, messed with Cavs fans Miami 95-65.

1. Dwyane Wade started second Q
2. Chris Bosh playing soft. Turning ball over
3. James Jones 9 points 3-of-3 from 3.
4. Ramon Sessions 3pt play.
5. D-Wade dunk. Got LeBron off the bench.
6. 3 Mario Chalmers 3 (LeBron stood up on the bench)
7. LeBron James coming back in.
8. Juwan Howard cut (bucket)
9. 6:02 James in.
10. Anthony Parker 3
11. LeBron talking to Cavs bench. Seems to be joking with them.
12. Joey Graham getting physical with LeBron (LeBron took a dive, Graham called for foul)
13. 3 for LeBron
13. Z/Mo smiling at each other after Mo got fouled by Z
14. Pick and pop with James (Bost J)
16. Andy lays out Z on pick (Offensive foul)
17. Wade drive
18. Bosh J
19. Talking to Cleveland bench, again. Is it Bobbie. Or Poe.
20. Half Miami 59-40 (James 14 points 5-of-13)

I hear ya’ll talking and yapping.

LeBron. D-Wade. Superman (Dwight Howard). They’re high risers.

Before them, Jordan, ‘Nique (Dominique Wilkins) and Clyde the Glide soared through the sky.

BUT before them, Dr. J. owned the NBA stratosphere.

He put the D in dunking, the R in originality and the J in just too good to be true.  So take a ride with me back in time and check out how Julius Erving did his thing.

By the way, just look past the short shorts. I heard the ladies liked them like that back in the day.