Dwyane Wade's Not Happy, But the Clippers Should Be the Mad Ones

On Saturday in Los Angeles, the Heat trailed the Clippers by one point with 7.6 seconds left in the game. Baron Davis inbounded the ball ... to Dwyane Wade. Watch below, or cop the high-res version here.

Wade runs into referee Courtney Kirkland, who is out of bounds. Even though the refs ruled in favor of the Heat here, after the game Wade seethed that the whistle prevented an easy game-winning layup for Miami.

"It was a clear steal," an angry Wade said after the game. "I was shocked they came back and tried to overturn the call and say they (saw) me step out of bounds. It was some (expletive).

"It wasn't even close to being a call. I don't even know how you can call something like that. We won the game. They took it from us."

Dwyane Wade Photos

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade goes up to the hoop as Los Angeles Clippers' Marcus Camby looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, right, holds back Mario Chalmers (6) after Chalmers was fouled by Phoenix Suns' Raja Bell during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2008, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade scores against the Phoenix Suns during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2008, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade (3) looks to drive past Phoenix Suns' Shaquille O'Neal during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov. 28, 2008, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

MIAMI - NOVEMBER 22: T.J. Ford #5 of the Indiana Pacers drives against Dwayne Wade #3 of the Miami Heat on November 22, 2008 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Victor Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwayne Wade;T.J. Ford

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MIAMI - NOVEMBER 22: Dwayne Wade #3 of the Miami Heat grabs passes the ball to a team mate against the Indiana Pacers on November 22, 2008 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Victor Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwayne Wade

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WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 18: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat drives against Caron Butler #3 of the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center on November 18, 2008 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwayne Wade;Caron Butler

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TORONTO - NOVEMBER 16: Dwayne Wade #3 of the Miami Heat drives to the net against Kris Humphries #43 of the Toronto Raptors during a game on November 16, 2008 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada . NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwyane Wade;Kris Humphries

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Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) drives on Charlotte Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor (50) in the second half of the Bobcats' 100-87 win in an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 29: Dwayne Wade #3 of the Miami Heat drives past Wilson Chandler #21 of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden October 29, 2008 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwayne Wade;Wilson Chandler

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Clips Nation notes, however, that Wade was out of bounds with the ball when he ran into Kirkland. Is that right? I looked up the rule, and it's less than perfectly clear but should nonetheless give pause to Wade in his ranting about the stolen game.

Rule No. 8, Section 1: The player is out-of-bounds when he touches the floor or any object on or outside a boundary. ... Section 2a: The ball is out-of-bounds when it touches a player who is out-of-bounds or any other person, the floor, or any object on, above or outside of a boundary or the supports or back of the backboard.

The first rule cited indicates that Wade is out-of-bounds when he runs into Kirkland. He obviously still has the ball at this point. Since Wade is ruled out-of-bounds by virtue of touching Kirkland, and since Wade has the ball, the ball is out-of-bounds. L.A. should have gotten it back. The refs had it right the first time, and there's no clear reason as to why their minds changed.

If Wade would have scored once Miami inbounded the ball, the Clippers would have reason to protest the game. Thankfully, it ended correctly. It's too bad it came to this: if Kirkland weren't in that exact spot, Miami would likely have taken the lead on a Shawn Marion dunk. But the Heat can hardly argue they got screwed by the refs' judgment.