MIAMI – With their star guard watching the final 10 minutes from the locker room, the Miami Heat moved within one victory of the NBA Finals.

Whether Dwyane Wade can help them take the final step remains to be seen. Wade sustained a rib muscle injury in the third quarter, and the pain was too much for him to take when he returned early in the final period of Miami’s 88-76 win over the defending champion Pistons last night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Wade was uncertain of his availability for Game 6 at Detroit on Saturday.

“It’s very, very painful,” Miami coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It feels like he’s being stabbed when he breathes. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Wade scored 15 points and Shaquille O’Neal had 20 for the Heat, who received significant contributions from several players – from some savvy freelancing by point guard Damon Jones in the first and third quarters to two timely turnaround jumpers by Rasual Butler in the fourth quarter – to move as close as the franchise has ever been to making the championship round.

But to get there, they’ll have to win one final time against a Detroit team that has shown time and again that it can take its game to a higher level when circumstances start to turn dire. And they might have to do it without Wade.

“I couldn’t move in either direction, I could only go straight,” said Wade, who pulled the muscle while executing a crossover dribble midway through the third quarter. “Hopefully, me being young, I can recoup real quick and be ready for Game 6.”

Miami’s Udonis Haslem had his best game of the series with 14 points and 13 rebounds, helping make up for a subpar offensive effort from Eddie Jones (seven points). Butler contributed 12 points off the bench, including seven in the fourth, and Damon Jones scored 15.

Chauncey Billups had 21 points and Richard Hamilton added 19 for the Pistons. Rasheed Wallace was held to two.

Wade went to the locker room after taking a charge from Wallace with 5:08 left in the third period. He returned for the start of the fourth quarter, then motioned to the bench that he needed to come out early in the period.

Miami took control in the second quarter by holding Detroit to six field goals and forcing six turnovers in the period. An 11-0 run to close the first half left Miami ahead 53-39, and Detroit trailed by double digits the rest of the way.