NBA EAST SEMIS -- Heat not looking so hot without Chris Bosh
By Homer D. Sayson
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 17 May 2012
No Bosh. No worries.
For the Indiana Pacers, that is.
Playing only against a Big Two instead of the usual Big Three, the Indiana Pacers edged the Miami Heat, 78-75, in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals Tuesday night at the American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami.
With the upset, the No.3 seeded Pacers tied the best-of-7 series at 1-1. Game 3 is Thursday night at the Banker's Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Bosh, who was declared out indefinitely after sustaining an abdominal strain in Game 1 was profoundly missed as his team made only 27-of-78 field goals (34.6 percent) and had extreme difficulty putting points on the board against a quick and long Indiana defense.
Besides LeBron James and Dwyane Wade who finished with double figures in points for a combined 52, no other Heat player tallied more than five points. The Heat also missed nine of 29 free throws and they went just 1-for-16 from 3-point range, a horrific 6.2 percent clip.
Again, James stuffed the stats sheet with 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists. But he didn't look like a 3-time MVP in the waning moments of Game 2 when the game was on the line.
In final 1:21 of play, James had a shot from point-blank range blocked, he missed two free throws that could have increased Miami's lead to 3, and he passed opportunities to attack the hoop, opting instead for Wade and Mario Chalmers to take pressure-packed shots.
"You hope for them to go in. The last two didn't go for me. The game is not lost or won with those free throws but I definitely want to come through for my teammates. I'll get an opportunity again. I know I'll be at the line again," said James of his bungled trip to the free throw line.
Without dominant superstars such James and Wade and Bosh, the Pacers relied on a balanced offense to beat the No.2 seeded Miami.
David West paced Indy with 16 points and 10 rebounds. George Hill had 15 while Danny Granger chipped in 11. Paul George added 10.
The Pacers shot 28 of 74 field goals (37.8 percent) and 3-of-15 threes (20 percent). The made just 19 of 27 free throws but they outrebounded the Heat, 50-40. (Homer D. Sayson)
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