Pacers keep season alive
TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers had no interest in watching the Miami Heat celebrate on their home court. In a wild game that saw LeBron James in foul trouble, and Paul George scoring 31 points in the second half alone, the Pacers prevailed to keep their season alive with a 93-90 win at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They improved to 3-0 this postseason in elimination games.
After a solid first quarter in which the Pacers led 22-16, things fell apart in the second. James barely played in that quarter, yet the Heat outscored Indiana 26-11 to take a 42-33 lead into halftime. Up until that point, it didn’t appear like the Pacers were playing with their season on the line.
The turning point in the game was when Lance Stephenson stripped James, which was followed by LeBron’s fifth foul. From that point on, there was new life and a new energy coming from the Pacers.
After a slow start and only six first-half points, George put on a superstar performance in the second half when his team needed it most. It wasn’t just the number of shots he was making, but the timing of each shot. He had 21 points in the fourth quarter on 8-of-10 shooting. It showed what George is truly capable of.
The Heat shot an incredible 15-for-31 from behind the arc. The 3-point shots in the fourth quarter especially between Miami and George made for quite an entertaining finish. In the end, it was a 3-pointer that didn’t go down for Chris Bosh that gave the Pacers the victory.
With James only playing 24 minutes, Rashard Lewis stepped up with 18 points. Bosh had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Dwyane Wade added 18. Look for James to have a monster Game 6. The Pacers will need to control the role players much better to come away with a win.
On whether or not there will be pressure on Miami in Game 6, James responded: “It’s the Eastern Conference finals. There should be urgency no matter what.”
George looked relaxed and focused after the game.
“D. West told me not to keep any bullets in the chamber,” he said. “My teammates found me, and I got hot.
“We’re going against history, but we can’t feel like it can’t be done. Every player in our locker room has a feel like we can accomplish this. It’s going to be tough. One game at a time. We believe.”
Now the series shifts back to Miami.
“We can’t turn the ball over in this Game 6,” George said. “This game is going to be about performing like champions.”
In the first two rounds, the Pacers lost both Game 1s and both Game 5s on their home floor. This round, those are the only two games they have won. They will need another star performance from George and a great defensive effort to bring this thing back to Indiana.
Coach Frank Vogel took a mathematical approach after the Pacers got down 3-1 in the series.
“We knew after losing Game 2 that we had to win one time here (in Miami) and then protect our home court the rest of the way,” he said then. “We didn’t get it done in Games 3 or 4. We’ve got to protect our home court and try to get it done in Game 6.”
The Pacers will get their chance to win one time in Miami. It’s not an ideal situation, but it sure beats the alternative.
Follow Tyler on Twitter: @sports_tys_20.
