Well that wasn’t the ending that I would have scripted for this fantastic Indiana Pacers’ season. But I did write up a day or two ago about this season was successful no matter the outcome of last night’s game. It was just the way the Pacers went down that does hurt a bit. Part of me psyched myself up for what could happen because I knew the Miami Heat had one of those games in them. You knew Lebron James would show up big. You knew Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade would finally play like the All Stars they are. Even Ray Allen was big at certain times for this team. Everything was clicking for the Heat, and everything wasn’t clicking for the Pacers. As someone said in a live chat that I was part of, the Pacers were being out Pacered. That means that the Heat were getting all the rebounds and turning it on defensively. Getting out and getting those transition points was something the Heat excel at as well, and they were doing that. It was more about what the Heat were doing, more so than what the Pacers couldn’t do.
Paul George and Roy Hibbert both had bad nights, which doesn’t bode well for this Pacers team. Even with that first quarter lead of 2 points, I knew that wasn’t nearly enough to keep the momentum going. The Pacers looked to be in control during a 7-0 run in the first quarter, and after that it was all Heat. 16 points total to the Heat’s 33 points in that second quarter is all about the Heat needed. The Pacers couldn’t play the way they need to when down by double figures. And last night show just how bad that bench is for the Pacers as they couldn’t even hold the water level during that second quarter.
The Heat earn that win, and the Pacers will think about the what ifs of this series. They practically controlled it for the majority of the series, and of course we can all look back at game one, and what happens if that’s a win. But then I believe game two turns out differently, so you can’t totally just say oh the Pacers win game one, and win the series. But that’s the thing about sports, you always live in that mode of what if. And if the Pacers could have played like they played in game six, last night’s game could have turned out differently. I think the Heat still would have won, but I know that it would have been much more competitive. But the Pacers proved they’re ready to contend not just in the Eastern, but for that NBA title if they can shore up just a few things.
Over the next few days on here, we’ll talk about what the Pacers need to do, what each player did for this season, where the Pacers can go, and plenty of more topics along those lines. Even though it’s the off season now, plenty of things will need to be addressed for the Pacers, so keep checking back. Blue Collar. Gold Swagger.