Dwyane Wade scores 18 in return from hamstring strain

Dwyane Wade's balky left hamstring may finally be out of his way.

For the second time this season, Wade returned from a left hamstring strain. The initial injury cost him seven games in November, but the latest kept him on the shelf for only a pair of outings.

Wade scored 18 points on 8-of-18 shooting Tuesday night in the Miami Heat's 94-86 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He added six assists, two rebounds, and a steal, and played 34 minutes, second only to Chris Bosh. 

The Heat split the two games Wade missed, pushing their record without him to 5-5 without him on the year. That understates his impact, as the Heat have been 2.6 points per-100 possessions better with Wade on the floor than without him.

In 31 games, the 33-year-old Wade is averaging 22 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists while shooting 49.3 percent from the floor. Those scoring and assist marks both represent his highest since 2010-11, his first season with LeBron James. With a serious spike in his usage, it's beyond impressive that Wade's offensive efficiency has actually improved this year.