The basketball world could be feeling pretty awkward next season. If Dwyane Wade keeps playing so well, why would the Miami Heat legend retire?

To be fair, Wade wasn't nearly as good on Thursday night as he was against the Golden State Warriors 24 hours earlier. Regardless, it's pretty clear that canny moves like this one would be successful regardless of any age or wear and tear.

Filthy.

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Wade's pure scoring ability was already underrated earlier in his career. As one of the NBA's most game-changing athletes regardless of position, he was known far more for slicing his way through defenses for acrobatic finishes at the rim and soaring weak-side blocks plus elite-level footwork and ball skills. Fortunately, the twilight of the three-time champion's career, and even his extended prime with LeBron James and the “Heatles,” allowed the league and its followers a far clearer opportunity to appreciate his skill level.

Wade isn't Kobe Bryant in that regard, but he's damn close.

That reality wasn't on display against the Rockets. Wade scored 12 points on 6-of-15 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench, helpless while watching James Harden bring his team back from a 21-point deficit by pouring in 34 of his 58 points in the second half.