NBA Playoffs: Have the Heat Escaped the Pacers?

May 26, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) and Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) battle for position in game three of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Heat won 114-96. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

So far, there have been no huge upsets of the 2013 playoffs. The only remotely close one was the Golden State Warriors at the sixth seed, knocking off the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in six games. It wasn’t too much of a surprise, but other than that, the playoffs haven’t been extremely exciting.

Of course, there’s always heart and passion involved, but sometimes, skill takes precedence over all. Right now, the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat both lead their series. The Spurs are up 3-0, and the Heat are up 2-1.

The Heat may not seem like they’re in complete control like the Spurs are, but many forget that they’re 5-0 on the road this postseason. That’s pretty incredible if you think about. Their home crowd isn’t die hard or too passionate, mainly because they have a lot of bandwagon, but it’s still better than being booed and jeered at on the road. Nevertheless, the Pacers are the most equipped to deal with the Heat. Right now, they’re not in a huge hole, but then need to win a home game. We already know they can win on the road.

The Pacers are by far one of the best teams in the weak Eastern Conference, but they’re trying to do the seemingly impossible by knocking off the first-seeded Heat and head to the finals for the first time in quite a while. Paul George is leading them to great things right now, and in the lack of Danny Granger, Lance Stephenson has really stepped up. Is it, however, enough to stop LeBron James and Dwyane Wade? Two of the most dominant players in the league are on a mission, and despite injury (Wade), they’re pushing through and knocking off teams left, right, and center.

So how do you do the unthinkable? How do you stop a team that is unstoppable? That’s the question for the Pacers right now. George is a superstar and one of the best defensive players in the league, we know this. LeBron is too, however. He was a snub for defensive POY, but he won the MVP award.

Without a doubt, he could average a triple-double if he wanted to. Now that he has his first title, he’s going to want more and more. The Pacers, as good as they are, are just another obstacle in the Heat’s way.

They may be in a very small hole, but that hole continually gets bigger when you’re playing the Heat in a playoff series.

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