The Pacers beat the Heat yesterday and won the tiebreaker and the #6 seed in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter if they lose it in the next few games. The Heat needed to beat the Pacers yesterday and they didn’t. The Heat have only won one “Prove It” game that I listed in my second half preview article here. These “Prove It” games were morale boosters mixed with applied self-confidence. In other words, the team would know for certain they are ready to compete for the Eastern Conference title.
Pacers-Heat point #3 — Team chemistry isn’t great.
Listening to the post-game interviews, the key phrases that the players would mention were lack of communication, poor resiliency, poor shared effort. Bam talked about coming out with a “sense of urgency” earlier in the game. Jimmy commented on how the team’s defensive effort changes when shots aren’t falling.
Look at this article here from after the Pelicans game on athlonsports.com. The Heat players start to lose defensive intensity when they aren’t scoring. As much as Coach Spolestra can preach about “our identity,” the players are the ones who have to take that onto the floor.
Pacers-Heat point #2 — Pacers came to win the game.
Check out this article here from the Indianapolis Star–Indiana had lost five “clutch” games in a row before this one. Therefore, they knew they needed to win the game. Former Dallas Mavericks 2011 Coach Rick Carlisle kept the team steady and the Pacers answered every Heat push. The Pacers were outscored 69-37 in the second half. The Heat did slow down their offense in the second half, but the Pacers made clutch plays. They were dead set on winning this game.
Pacers-Heat point #1 — Atlanta is next.
Coach Spolestra spoke about the team needing to get ready for Atlanta in his post-game interview. Look at this article here from Heat beat writer Ira Winderman in the Sun Sentinel. The prospects of the play-in are more vivid now but the logistics for an aging roster like Miami’s aren’t good, i.e. little prep time, Heat record vs. those teams, etc. Then in his “Ask Ira” column here, he addresses the ongoing problem the Heat have with quick penetration from opposing guards.
I remember in 2021, I was listening to Game 1 of the 1st round series vs the Bucks. I was in my car with my friend and we were working. We didn’t want to leave as the game was in doubt. Jimmy Butler missed nine three point shots that game. The Heat lost and then were swept by the Bucks. I am hoping for a playoff run like last year but expecting 2021 to happen again. The Heat don’t appear to have the same chemistry as in 2023.
