Indiana Pacers: 3 best playoff moments since 2011, according to fans

Paul George posterizes Chris Andersen and hoists the Indiana Pacers as title contenders

After dispatching the New York Knicks in the East semis, the Indiana Pacers found themselves opposite a title favorite: the Miami Heat. Headed by their Big 3, the Heatles cruised through the regular season and won a league-high 66 games, clearly dominating the Eastern Conference from end to finish.

But the Pacers had other plans. After narrowly missing Game 1 on Miami’s court via LBJ’s game-winning layup, Indiana came soaring in Game 2. Riding their physical brand of basketball to punish the Heat’s celebrated small-ball style, the Navy and Gold managed to put the league on notice and proved that they are more than a feel-good story.

Caught in a tight game, Indiana led Miami 73-71 late in the third quarter. With the clock dwindling down, Paul George beat James off the dribble and flew above Chris Andersen, posterizing the Birdman in the process. This emphatically sparked the Pacers as they went on to beat the Heat in a tightly contested game and head home with the series on a deadlock.

While the Indiana Pacers ultimately bowed down in seven games to the Miami Heat, PG proved that the Navy and Gold was a potent fourth behemoth in the league’s then-three-headed monster of title contenders in the Heat, the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Unfortunately, this was as close as the Pacers got to dethroning LeBron and Miami. 2014 saw them abruptly go down to the Heat once more in six games, a cultivation of their disappointing run to end the season despite boasting a more talented team and possessing the number one seed.