Pacers Drop Game 3, How The Heat Do It.
The Indiana Pacers have fell behind in their Eastern Conference Championship best-of-seven series with the Miami Heat, 2-1. The Heat won 99-87.
After getting the first win in the series the Pacers have lost two in a row to the Heat, but it is not for the reason you might expect. The Pacers have been inconsistent throughout the playoffs, but inconsistency is not why they are losing to the Heat.
Indiana has lost by single digits in both games, and started the third quarter with a lead in both Game 2 and Game 3. However, each time the Heat have rallied back to win the game.
Of course, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade played their roles perfectly. James scored 26 points, dished out seven assists, puled down five rebound and four steals. Wade had 23 points and three steals. But it was Ray Allen who drained four three pointers in the fourth quarter that gave the Heat the lead they needed to close the game as victors.
We saw another unlikely duo help give the Heat the Game 2 win as well.
Chris “Birdman†Anderson and Norris Cole allowed for Wade and James to rally back in Game 2 by being the only competitive players on the court throughout the first three quarters. The Pacers kept Wade and James contained throughout the first half and third quarter.
During that time, Anderson and Cole combined for 39 points in just 56 minutes of play. 31 of those points came during the second half. Cole also helped shut down Lance Stephenson who had been rolling over LeBron James the entire game. After James and Cole switched, Stephenson was virtually a non-issue.
It is a story we have seen time and time again. The Heat can devastate you in so many ways, it becomes hard to cover all your bases.
But that is exactly what the Pacers will have to do if they hope to avoid going down 3-1 in the series in Game 4 and have to fight for their tournament life with their backs against the wall.
The frustrating thing for the Pacers is they have been getting production from all their key players, they just cannot top the Heat.
Game 4 will be on Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Heat opened as the -6.5 point favorites.
