Miami Heat guard Dwyane is breaking away from New Jersey Nets guard (left) in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of their Eastern Conference playoffs in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday. The Heat won 102-92 to take a 3-1 series lead.

    BEIJING, May 16 -- A dominant display from Dwyane Wade guided the Miami Heat to a 102-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday and put his team on the verge of the National Basketball Association's Eastern Conference finals.

    Wade had 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for the Heat, which leads the best-of-seven series 3-1, with a chance to close out the series with a win in Game 4 in Miami tomorrow (Shanghai time).

    "We're not surprised. When we play Miami Heat basketball on both ends of the floor, we're a tough team to beat, at home or on the road," Wade said. "We go home to Game 5 and try to close it out at home."

    Also, the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 114-107 to even their Western Conference semifinals 2-2.

    Miami didn't need a big game from Shaquille O'Neal in order to take the stranglehold on the series either, as O'Neal was held to just 16 points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes.

    Wade was sensational for Miami as usual, but it was the play of Antoine Walker and Udonis Haslem during a key stretch of the third quarter that gave them the cushion they needed to hold on for a third straight victory.

    Walker scored 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Haslem added 20 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 8-of-11. They combined for 16 of Miami's 22 points during the third period, when the Heat built their lead to as much as 11.

    "They hit shots, they hit a lot of shots," Nets forward Richard Jefferson said. "Udonis Haslem, I swear he didn't miss one tonight."

    Jason Kidd tried to rally the Nets, collecting his ninth postseason triple-double and moving over to guard Wade after his hot start. But New Jersey could never regain the lead after the first quarter.

    Kidd had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, tying Wilt Chamberlain for third place on the postseason career list and moving within one of Larry Bird for second.

    Vince Carter added 26 points and Richard Jefferson scored 17. Nenad Krstic had 20 points and 14 rebounds.

    In Los Angeles, Elton Brand had 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Sam Cassell added 28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Clippers.

    Phoenix star Steve Nash was held to eight points and 11 assists. He shot 3-of-11, and didn't make a field goal after halftime.

    The Suns scored 12 straight points to move within one before Brand made an 18-foot jumper with 56 seconds remaining and Cassell hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left to clinch the victory.

    Brand scored 67 points in the first two games, but was held to 20 in Game 3, when the Suns won 94-91 for a 2-1 series lead.

    The Clippers won without starting center Chris Kaman, sidelined because of a sore right shoulder. Kaman, injured in Game 3, suited up and was available, according to a team spokesman, but never left the bench.

    Corey Maggette had 18 points and 15 rebounds, Vladimir Radmanovic scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, and Shaun Livingston added 11 points for the Clippers.

    Raja Bell led the Suns with a career playoff-high 33 points - two more than his regular-season career best. Boris Diaw added 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

    Game 5 is in Phoenix tomorrow.