The Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat in last nights Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals to even the series up as it moves to Indiana. The way they have played so far in the series, do they now have the advantage against the Miami Heat?
The Pacers have out played the top seeded Heat so far in this series. It took a last second buzzer beater in overtime from LeBron James to win it for the Heat in Game 1. The Pacers came out strong in Game 2.
They had a double digit lead early but the Heat came back to make the game was very close throughout. The Pacers held on to a two-point lead late in the game but two costly turnovers from Game 1’s hero James allowed them to edge the Heat 97-93 to tie the series.
When the playoffs began, the Heat were an automatic lock to go to the Finals. The big question was which team they would be playing?
They were supposed to cruise all the way to their second consecutive championship. Pacers’ head coach Frank Vogel did not play into the hype and neither did his team. Vogel got scrutinized by James’ misunderstanding of the statement he made.
Vogel was simply stating that his team has a goal and the Heat were a team that they must get past to reach the NBA Finals. It is clear the Pacers are not afraid of the Heat.
The physical play of the Pacers has been the toughest test to the Heat so far in this series and it will not get easier as the series moves to Indiana. The Pacers did exactly what they needed to do in this series to give themselves a fighter’s chance to win this series.
They go home with a 1-1 split in the series. However, the Chicago Bulls did the same thing in the last round but injury overcame them and lost the series in five games.
The Pacers have an advantage the Bulls did not have in the form of depth in their roster. For those thinking that the heat will make this short and sweet, Indians has all the tools–and youth–in Paul George, Roy Hibbert and David West to make this series into a classic seven game brawl.
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