2014 NBA EC Finals: IND (1) vs MIA (2)

[dr3am]

If this Wade shows up consistently, Heat in 6 easily

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgP-woKlm1Q[/youtube]

[ThePersianFreak]

The question is, which Pacer team would show up. I'm going to make a bold prediction and say Pacers in six.

They had their eyes set at this moment at the beginning of the season. They had more than a few bumps, but if there is a team that would bring out the best in the Pacers, it's definitely Miami.

You really think Mia will lose an elimination game at home?!

[JF5]

You'll most likely see a more focused Pacer team against the Heat.

The Pacers seem to play the top teams in the league with much more passion and fire. Against teams like the Wizards and Hawks, they just expected those teams to lie down which did not happen.

[mopper8]

Amazing post.

Seriously.

Thanks! Sorry if a little harsh at the end there, just a pet peeve, yours was the third time in the last 2 days I'd heard that same line and was bugging me

[babycry14]

8 more games

[PaulieWal]

Amazing post.

Seriously.

Thanks! Sorry if a little harsh at the end there, just a pet peeve, yours was the third time in the last 2 days I'd heard that same line and was bugging me

I am going to steal that for the PC board (of course while crediting you). It's become annoying that you can't talk about Miami and LeBron at the moment without people saying, "But this is the easiest road ever so nothing they do matters".

[mopper8]

Amazing post.

Seriously.

Thanks! Sorry if a little harsh at the end there, just a pet peeve, yours was the third time in the last 2 days I'd heard that same line and was bugging me

I am going to steal that for the PC board (of course while crediting you). It's become annoying that you can't talk about Miami and LeBron at the moment without people saying, "But this is the easiest road ever so nothing they do matters".

By all means, please do

[Phinsoverpats]

Cute. Do you have a serious answer now or will you stick to gifs?

How you expect me to give a serious answer if you didn't give a serious answer?

And why do you consider my answer non-serious? Indiana posted an excellent Offensive Rating throughout the Miami series. Why do you think that this series went 7?

That's my point you expect them to play the same way they did last year when their offense was better and still lost with now when their offense is bad

[huskerdu]

Amazing post.

Seriously.

Thanks! Sorry if a little harsh at the end there, just a pet peeve, yours was the third time in the last 2 days I'd heard that same line and was bugging me

Don't apologize, that was just a well researched and thought out post. Was an honor getting my ass handed to me with a post like that.

Keep up the good work bud

[Knicks2DaHouse]

I have to say, these Pacers are one of the most disrespected teams I've ever seen by fans. I live in Indiana, I saw them play all season, I think a lot of people seriously under value them.

Yes, the Atlanta Hawks took them to 7. An even worse team took the 08 Celtics to 7 too.

Yes, they struggled during the 2nd half of the season. They still won 56 games, took the #1 seed, granted in a weak conference, split 1-1 with Miami and beat OKC in the final stretch before the playoffs.

I've posts in here and in other threads casually claiming how Portland or Phoenix would easily make the conference finals in the East, how the Pacers aren't even the best team in the East outside Miami (seriously), how Miami has the "easiest road to the Finals",stuff like that. I think people are so quick to label them as a bad team in the midst of their recent struggles because they don't look flashy. We don't see pull up 3s, ankle breaking crossovers, poster dunks (usually), ect ect, because the Pacers play ugly. The Wizards everybody was raving about against Chicago didn't suddenly forget how to play basketball. Good defenses have a way of making you look worse than you are. They play dominant half court defense and grind their games out. Just because it isn't pretty doesn't mean it's not effective.

I'm not saying that they should be the favorites here, in light of their recent struggles and going against the 2x champs you give the edge to Miami, but they're still a damn good basketball team.

tl;dr the Pacers don't really get the same respect/benefit of the doubt from fans as other elite teams because good defense isn't as flashy.

[Nuntius]

How you expect me to give a serious answer if you didn't give a serious answer?

And why do you consider my answer non-serious? Indiana posted an excellent Offensive Rating throughout the Miami series. Why do you think that this series went 7?

That's my point you expect them to play the same way they did last year when their offense was better and still lost with now when their offense is bad

Except that you didn't make any point at all in your previous posts. You simply posted a gif.

By the way, the difference between Indiana's offense last season and this season is extremely minimal.

See for yourself.

Offensive Efficiency for 13-14 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats

Offensive Efficiency for 12-13 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats/_/year/2013

Indiana had a 101.5 Offensive Efficiency in 13-14 and a 101.6 Offensive Efficiency in 12-13. As I said, the difference is extremely minimal.

[Jaxon]

This could be the best series yet.

Don't believe the hype. Heat in 5.

[Knicks2DaHouse]

Anyway, I think the key match up from the Pacers standpoint is Wade vs Lance. I think they need to win this match up to beat Miami. The Heat have Wade as healthy as he can get at this point, but Lance this year is a completely different player to how he was last year. They already had some sparks last time they played, it will be very interesting to watch these two guard each other and see who gets the better of each other.

[Phinsoverpats]

And why do you consider my answer non-serious? Indiana posted an excellent Offensive Rating throughout the Miami series. Why do you think that this series went 7?

That's my point you expect them to play the same way they did last year when their offense was better and still lost with now when their offense is bad

Except that you didn't make any point at all in your previous posts. You simply posted a gif.

By the way, the difference between Indiana's offense last season and this season is extremely minimal.

See for yourself.

Offensive Efficiency for 13-14 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats

Offensive Efficiency for 12-13 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats/_/year/2013

Indiana had a 101.5 Offensive Efficiency in 13-14 and a 101.6 Offensive Efficiency in 12-13. As I said, the difference is extremely minimal.

Well I'm a gambling man, are you willing to beat a sig on this series?

[GreenBloodedC]

The question is, which Pacer team would show up. I'm going to make a bold prediction and say Pacers in six.

They had their eyes set at this moment at the beginning of the season. They had more than a few bumps, but if there is a team that would bring out the best in the Pacers, it's definitely Miami.

You really think Mia will lose an elimination game at home?!

It's more likely than losing a game 7. IIRC, they have never lost a game 7.

[HorribleFan]

How you expect me to give a serious answer if you didn't give a serious answer?

And why do you consider my answer non-serious? Indiana posted an excellent Offensive Rating throughout the Miami series. Why do you think that this series went 7?

That's my point you expect them to play the same way they did last year when their offense was better and still lost with now when their offense is bad

True. Look here:

Last year in ECF, MIA averaged 95.4 ppg, IND averaged 91.5 ppg.

So far in the playoffs, IND is averaging 91.3 ppg (to be clear, that's LESS points than last year vs WORSE defenses) and MIA is averaging 99.5 ppg.

In fact, MIA has not scored under 94 points in a game yet. In 13 playoff games IND has scored under 94 in 7 of them. How is IND going to score more than 94 points 4 out of 7 games (57%) when so far they've only done it 6/13 times (46%) against way worse defenses?

And 94 points is a low number, looking at MIA's average in PO's, this year IND will likely need to get to 100 points to win, which they've only managed twice.

In other words, "how will they score?" is a good question.

[Nuntius]

That's my point you expect them to play the same way they did last year when their offense was better and still lost with now when their offense is bad

Except that you didn't make any point at all in your previous posts. You simply posted a gif.

By the way, the difference between Indiana's offense last season and this season is extremely minimal.

See for yourself.

Offensive Efficiency for 13-14 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats

Offensive Efficiency for 12-13 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats/_/year/2013

Indiana had a 101.5 Offensive Efficiency in 13-14 and a 101.6 Offensive Efficiency in 12-13. As I said, the difference is extremely minimal.

Well I'm a gambling man, are you willing to beat a sig on this series?

Bet a sig on what exactly?

I never proclaimed that the Pacers are going to win the series. You see, I don't pretend to be an oracle. I have not made a single prediction in these playoffs regarding the result of a match and you can verify this if you want.

On the other hand, if you want to bet whether the Pacers find a way to score against Miami then sure.

[Phinsoverpats]

Except that you didn't make any point at all in your previous posts. You simply posted a gif.

By the way, the difference between Indiana's offense last season and this season is extremely minimal.

See for yourself.

Offensive Efficiency for 13-14 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats

Offensive Efficiency for 12-13 -> http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats/_/year/2013

Indiana had a 101.5 Offensive Efficiency in 13-14 and a 101.6 Offensive Efficiency in 12-13. As I said, the difference is extremely minimal.

Well I'm a gambling man, are you willing to beat a sig on this series?

Bet a sig on what exactly?

I never proclaimed that the Pacers are going to win the series. You see, I don't pretend to be an oracle. I have not made a single prediction in these playoffs regarding the result of a match and you can verify this if you want.

On the other hand, if you want to bet whether the Pacers find a way to score against Miami then sure.

They won't touch 100 points in regulation

[Nuntius]

Well I'm a gambling man, are you willing to beat a sig on this series?

Bet a sig on what exactly?

I never proclaimed that the Pacers are going to win the series. You see, I don't pretend to be an oracle. I have not made a single prediction in these playoffs regarding the result of a match and you can verify this if you want.

On the other hand, if you want to bet whether the Pacers find a way to score against Miami then sure.

They won't touch 100 points in regulation

How is this relevant? The Pacers do not need to touch 100 points in regulation if they hold the opposing teams to 90 points.

[RaptorNews]

As much as Ive been killing the Pacers recently I think these guys will do everything short of dying to beat Miami so these games will at least be rough and entertaining.

I just don't think the Pacers can contain Lebron or the three point shooting.