Pacers Win Ugly Over the Heat, Wizards Fall to the Suns
In the battle of the NBA Eastern Conference’s top teams, the Indiana Pacers (52-20) persevered and defeated the Miami Heat (48-22), 84-83, on Wednesday. They now have a three-game advantage for the top seed and have won its division title.
The Pacers showed who we thought they were in this very physical game but needed a seven-point rally in the fourth quarter to get the win on their home court. For the night Paul George scored 23 points while Roy Hibbert contributed 21 (17 in the first half).
Lance Stephenson got ejected in the fourth quarter after grabbing his second technical foul for the game. This one came after he celebrated a basket but he then showed his anger by waving his hand at the ref and upon exiting the court, threw his towel and kicked a door.
The player scored 15 points in the game.
LeBron James
As for the Heat, LeBron James brought his A game, scoring 46 percent of the team’s points (38) along with his five assists and eight rebounds. He went 9 of 15 from the field and at the free throw line, he was 14 of 15. James’ 30-plus points represented his first one versus the Pacers in the regular season since back on Jan. 4, 2012, according to Elias.
But James and Dwyane Wade each had six turnovers. This contributed to the team’s challenges and in the game’s final 3 minutes, 23 seconds, the Heat only had one basket. James missed a jumper for the lead, followed by a missed one by Chris Bosh with 1.8 seconds remaining in the game. It may have given the Heat a chance to win the game.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the last shot via the Associated Press, “Unfortunately, that was what I diagrammed. It probably wasn’t the best call. It might have been a little too gunslinger on my part. I just wanted an open shot.”
While the NBA season is nearing its end, these two teams will meet once more on April 11 in Miami. Rewind one year ago, and they sat in an identical position: the top 2 teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Pacers sit at 6/5 to win the Eastern Conference and 15/4 to win the 2014 NBA Championship. Their next game is on Friday against the Washington Wizards (36-35).
For the Heat, it has 5/7 odds to take the Eastern Conference crown and 9/4 to win it all again. On Friday, Miami will play the Detroit Pistons (26-45).
In other Southeast Division action, the Wizards lost to the Phoenix Suns (43-29), 99-93, on Wednesday.
Washington has now lost two consecutive games (it has lost its last four of five) while the Suns enter the final stretch of the season with a five-game win streak. The Wizards sit in the Eastern Conference’s sixth spot, with a 1 1/2 game-advantage over the No. 7 Charlotte Hornets (35-37).
On Wednesday, Charlotte defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 116-111, in overtime.
At one time, the Suns had a 25-point advantage in the third quarter during Wednesday’s game but it had been whittled down to a three-point game with 90 seconds remaining before ultimately grabbing the win. For the night, Eric Bledsoe, who missed 33 games this season due to knee surgery, and Goran Dragic, scored a combined 48 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds.
John Wall
As for the Wizards, John Wall led in scoring with his 29 points (24 points in the second half) and six assists, followed by Marcin Gortat’s 17 points. Wizards coach Randy Wittman pointed the finger at his team’s weak defense for the loss, which gave up 50 percent 3-point shooting to the Suns and 7 of 9 field-goal tries in the second half.
The Wizards are frustrated by their recent play with Gortat saying after the game via the Associated Press, “Sometimes we show that mentally we are weak and just not competing. That’s it.”
Washington sits at 150/1 to win the 2014 NBA Championship while the Suns are 100/1.
