The NBA Playoffs seem to always be exciting and this year is no different. And while the Eastern Conference hasn’t had the explosive series that the West had, there have been some great games and some terrific finishes. Both conferences feature matchups between the one and two seeds, proving that the regular season is a good reflection of playoff success.
This year’s Eastern Conference Finals feature a rematch of last year’s series. The Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat have emerged as the two powerhouses in the East and have established themselves as bitter rivals. Last year’s series produced an instant classic and set the foundation for this rivalry. Miami eventually won the series in seven games, however; the Pacers really pushed them to the limit.
Last year, the Pacers biggest X Factor was their 7’2” center Roy Hibbert. Hibbert was an absolutely beast on the interior and disrupted Miami’s “small ball” play style. This year, Hibbert’s struggles have been well publicized and the once dominant Pacers have seemed weak with inner-conflict. Fortunately, Hibbert managed to reestablish himself in the semi-finals and now appears ready to once again give the Heat headaches.
The Pacers, playing on their home court, got off to a hot start and never looked back. Indiana was able to knock down some early three pointers and then carry that momentum throughout the game. After starting the game on a 20-10 run, the Heat were able to close the gap at the end of the first only trailing 30-24. The Pacers and Heat would each have small runs, but the Heat could never catch up to the Pacers.
The Pacers were up 55-45 and halftime, and the lead only grew from there. The Pacers opened the second half on a 14-7 run, led primarily by Hibbert and David West. Indiana was able to further extend the lead after three quarters leading 83-70. In the fourth quarter the Heat were able to get within nine, only for the Pacers to get on another run. The Pacers were able to win the game by a score of 107-96, winning the first game of the series.
The Pacers had a great collective effort on the offensive end as six players scored in double figures. West and Hibbert gave the Heat all kinds of trouble as they combined for 38 points and 16 rebounds. The Pacers were led in scoring by Paul George who scored 24 points and dished out seven assists. The Heat relied heavily on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as they combined for 52 of Miami’s 96 points.
Chris Bosh, a player who many felt would be an X Factor for the Heat, was abysmal as he was 4 of 12 from the field and finished with nine points. The Heat managed to only pull down 29 rebounds and finished with a rebound differential of -9. The Pacers were clearly the more balanced team and that will be essential for winning the series. Game Two will be on Tuesday, May 20.