Game Recap
When the Pacers were trailing by as much as 21 points against the Miami Heat (19-24), it seemed as if consecutive loss number seven was a foregone conclusion. But thanks to a furious second-half rally, the Pacers made a forceful comeback against the team that had sent them packing in the last two Eastern Conference Finals.
With 30 seconds remaining in the game and the Pacers down just three points, George Hill launched a 3-point attempt late in the shot clock that would have silenced the crowd at the AmericanAirlines Arena. But Hill, who was playing in his first game since December 31, was just off the mark, as Miami corralled the rebound and went on to win 89-87.
"(They showed) a lot of heart and a lot of fight getting back into this game down 21 and to give ourselves a chance to tie it up," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "I’m very proud of the group that did that."
The Pacers had yet another chance to knot things up with 10 seconds left and fed Hill again, who slashed through the lane for a two-point bucket to make the score 88-87.
After Dwayne Wade split a pair a free throws with six seconds on the clock to extend the Heat’s lead to two, Vogel took a timeout and drew up the final play of the game.
As Hill cut to the basket once again, he dished it out to C.J. Watson in the corner for a would-be tying shot, but the ball cruelly rimmed in and out, sealing the fate of the Pacers.
"Well, I was thinking that I didn’t have legs for overtime, so I don’t know what we are going to do," said Heat guard Dwayne Wade of his thoughts when the final shot was in the air.
Indiana (15-30) had taken the first two games of the season against Miami, but game three of this season’s matchup was one in which the Heat’s offense was playing like LeBron was still in South Beach. Miami shot almost 60 percent in the first half, and finished the game shooting an impressive 48 percent from the field.
From the start, Indiana seemed to be out of sync. 14 first-half turnovers led to a 17-point first-half deficit. C.J. Miles, who led the team in scoring at halftime, was forced to exit with a left groin strain and did not return. And Roy Hibbert found himself in early foul trouble, which led to the Pacers being outscored 26-12 in paint during the first half.
"We were very displeased with how we played in the first half," Vogel said. "I challenged them early on to get a little angry and we did."
Even with the negatives, the Pacers were able to rattle off an 11-0 second-half run, and outscored the Heat 27-21 in the third quarter and 23-14 in the fourth, which allowed Indiana to winnow the lead to single digits in the final frame.
Looking for a spark on offense, Vogel turned to Donald Sloan to start the fourth quarter. Sloan, who hadn’t played all game, came in and delivered instantly, converting an off-balance layup which made the score 66-75.
Also impressive off the bench was Luis Scola, who scored a team-high 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
Although the loss extended Indiana’s losing streak to seven games, the impressive return of George Hill gave reason for the Pacers to be hopeful for the future. The Hometown Hero has played only five games this season due to various injuries, but in just 20 minutes of action tonight he was 5-of-10 for 13 points, sparking the comeback that was almost able to add one to Indiana's win column.
Inside the Numbers
Indiana held Miami to just 14 fourth-quarter points, keying the comeback that just barely fell short.
The Pacers’ 14 team assists were their fewest since a game on November 12, which was also against the Heat.
After committing 14 turnovers in the first half, the Pacers committed only four in the second half.
You Can Quote Me On That
"We were very displeased with how we played in the first half. I challenged them early on to get a little angry and we did. We started playing better. Clearly we have to start the game better." -Vogel
"Well, we had a bounce at the end, but there were so many good things going on in this game, and then they made a big momentum push there in the last six minutes of the fourth quarter and really sped up the game which is what we were trying to do.” - Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra
"I’ll take it. Of course we could do better, giving up a lead like that, especially so late in the third quarter. It was very frustrating, but no matter what you have to stick with it. I’m just glad we won. Beggars can’t be choosers.” -Heat forward Chris Bosh
Noteworthy
- If the Pacers had won, it would have been the first time since 2002-03 that Indiana had won two regular season road games against the Heat.
- It was the second game this season that Luis Scola led the team in scoring.
- The current seven-game skid is the Pacers’ second-longest streak of the season.
- The Heat didn't block a single shot against the Pacers. The previous low this season was one block.
Stat Of The Night
Even though he hadn't played since December 31, George Hill scored 13 points and was a team-high +14. A positive sign for Indiana on both sides of the ball
Up Next
The Pacers continue their road trip and look to rid themselves of their seven-game losing streak on Sunday night against the Orlando Magic (15-31) at 6 PM.