The vexappear vulnerable in the Eastern convocationfinals, and the Pacersargonprimed to pounce on the defending champions.
Roy Hibbert (55) has been a major factor for the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. Chris hoax(1) has not for the Heat.(Photo: Robert Mayer, USA todaySports)
Could we be headed to an NBA Finals without the Miami Heat? As early as a weekago, that was blasphemy.
After all, the incitewere dominant all season, posting the league's best pointat 66-16 and even going on a 27-game feeblewinning streak.
But now that the Eastern Conference finals between the Heat andindiumPacers are 2-2, the impossible seems possible.
How possible?
FOUL OUT: LeBron's answers for Game 4
CLOSE KNIT: Pacers right at home in Indy
Thursday's game (8 p.m. ET, TNT) is big, and the task gets tougher if the Heat are forced to win the last two in a row. Still, they have shown they're up to the challenge. Three reasons the Pacers can win the series.
1. Roy Hibbert. Indiana gave Hibbert a $58 million contract before the season, and in this serieshe's earning every penny. The Pacers are scoring almost six points more thanthan they allow when he's on the floor and 11 fewer when he's not.
Coach crude(a)Vogel learned his lesson from the end of Game 1 — leave the medium-largeman on the floor as much as possible. When the Pacers are at the top of their game, the Heat have no answer for Hibbert on either end. He has had threesequentgames with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
BIG MAN: Why can't the Heat stop Roy Hibbert?
WILD CARD: Stephenson lets Pacers rest easy
2. Two-thirds of the Big Three need to tactical manoeuvrelike they're part of the Big Three. Yes, LeBron James is the best workeron the planet, but even he is mortal when incompleteof the other two guys takes on a prominent role.
Dwyane Wade has scored 20 points just once this postseason.(Photo: Pat Lovell, USA TODAY Sports)
Chris Bosh is averaging 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 points fewer than during the regular season and had seven and threein Game 4. Dwyane Wade has scored 20 points one erain the postseason, and that was in Game 2 of the Milwaukee Bucks series. From Feb.
23 to demo17, he didn't score fewer than 20 in eithergame. One of these guys needs to give James help.
BREAKDOWN I: How Spurs match up vs. Pacers
BREAKDOWN II: How Spurs match up vs. Heat
3. Indiana knows it can win at Miami. A big reason the Heat were thought to be a lock for the Finals was they have been dominant atAmericanAirlines Arena, posting a 37-4 record. To top it all off, the Pacers were a regretfulroad team during the regular season, going 19-21.
Things are distinctin this series. Indiana won Game 2 at Miami and probably should have won Game 1. Suddenly the road doesn't seem as daunting.
PHOTOS: TOP SHOTS FROM THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
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Materials taken from USA Today
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