Pacers Beat Heat In Game 1, Inconsistency Still Looms
The Indiana Pacers have been carry the label of inconsistency with them throughout the entire playoffs, but a Game 1 victory over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals is going to go a long way in beginning to shed that label.
The Pacers saved their best performance of the playoffs for the Heat in their 107-96 victory. Six Pacer put up double-digits in scoring, the Pacers had 22 assists and simply shredded Miami’s defense.
Indiana hopes that this game is only the first part of their redemption story against the Heat. In the last two playoffs the Pacers have been eliminated by the Miami Heat.
Indiana may have discovered the key to beating the Heat, and it is to keep them off the foul line. Miami’s free throw numbers were a huge factor in their playoff success thus far. That includes their big comeback Game 5 victory against the Brooklyn Nets in their last series, which saw the Heat win the game thanks to solid charity stripe shooting.
The Pacers found themselves on the free throw line 37 times but did not retaliate only allowing the Heat to take 13 free shots.
The Pacers looked as though they may allow the game to slip through their fingers for a moment. They watched a 15 point lead begin to disappear between the final minutes of the third quarter and the fourth quarter. The Heat cut the Pacers lead to single digits. A flagrant foul would halt the Heat’s comeback and put the momentum back with the Pacers.
The Pacers handed the Heat their second loss of the post season and learned a lot about what it was going to take to beat the Heat in this series. Expect the Heat to come out with a new game plan, however.
The series will continue on Tuesday. The Heat will likely be the favorites. Â The game starts at 9 p.m. ET and you can watch it on ESPN.
