The Road Warriors series will be highlighting the Indiana Pacers road trips and how they have fared historically in opposing arenas. This time, the team will take their talents to South Beach.
First off, I apologize for the pun and it won’t happen again. After a frustrating effort against the 76ers, the Indiana Pacers currently sit at 7-5. Despite what you may read on Twitter, the world is not ending and this roster is still figuring things out (despite my distaste for Head Coach Nate McMillan’s offense). Let’s take a deep breath and relax. The Pacers head to Miami on Friday night to take on the Heat for the first time this season.
Eyes forward. Ready to go.
This will be the 111th regular season meeting between the Heat and Pacers, according to Land of Basketball. The Pacers currently have a winning record all-time against Miami 63-47. Despite their all-time record, the Pacers have lost quite a bit at American Airlines Arena, posting an 18-37 record. This includes a split in Miami last year, both games happening before Thanksgiving.
The Heat this year have been lead by Josh Richardson‘s 20.7 points per game on a 41.8/40.5 slash. Goran Dragic continues to be the same consistent player, posting 18.1 ppg and 5.1 assists. Hassan Whiteside showed his upside (sorry, puns end here) against the Spurs with 29 points, 20 rebounds, and nine (!) blocks. The Heat will be without future Hall of Fame guard Dwyane Wade as he and his wife welcomed a baby girl on Thursday (congrats D-Wade). They look to improve on their 5-5 record.
The Pacers and Heat are consistently playing close games, regardless of who’s on the court. They seem to bring the best out of one another. The offense will be lead as always by Victor Oladipo, who scored 36 on Wednesday. Something to watch for will be the perimeter defense of the Pacers against a barrage of Heat shooters. The bench will be too hot for the Heat to handle (someone stop me, please) and will prove to be the difference, in my opinion.
Prediction: Pacers win 101-92.
What’s in Town?
This is the first time the Indiana Pacers are playing in Florida since my relocation, so I will be attending Friday night’s game. There is no shortage of things to do in Miami and the weather looks to be favorable (mid-80’s with sunshine). The next day begins the House of Creatives Music Festival featuring Foster the People among many others. The festival will run through Sunday night. If you’re looking for a less-crowded beach scene, go right off the coast of Miami to Key Biscayne. The state park at the end is $8 to get in for the whole day per car. There you will see clear water and a historic lighthouse with an observation deck.