Heat at Pacers Game 4 Pick

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat

Game 4

Monday 8:30 EST

May 26, 2014

Game 4 Line: Miami -6.5

It was only a matter of time.

Trailing by 15 points early, the Miami Heat refused to let a slow start bury them in Game 3. Rather, the Heat ‘s performance for the final 30 minutes was just another example that when the stakes are the highest, Miami is at their best.

For the second consecutive game, the Heat gave the Pacers a lesson in what is required to win a playoff game. Right now, Indiana can’t match Miami’s focus nor talent for 48 minutes. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James have been an unstoppable duo, scoring at least 20 points in the first three games of the series. Wade and James have been playing the way two superstars should be playing. However, the same cannot be said for Chris Bosh. He may be a nine-time All-Star, but against the Pacers, he’s pulled a disappearing act better than David Blaine during his finest trick. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Bosh is averaging 9-points during the first three games of this series and in four regular season games against Indiana this season, Bosh wasn’t much better, averaging just 11.3 points, 5.0 rebounds.

Despite Bosh’s struggles the Heat continue to roll and Ray Allen has played a major role in that. If Allen decides to make a sequel to He Got Game, let Spike Lee start with the footage from the fourth quarter of Game 3, where Allen scored all 16 of his points in the second half, including going 4-for-4 from downtown. To struggle through the first 36 minutes of a game and then catch fire is one thing, but to have a performance like that at the age of 38 against the NBA’s best defensive team is another.

The Heat, who have shot at least 50% in all three games against Indiana, are now 6-0 at home in the playoffs and will look to bury the Pacers after a victory on Monday night.

After sustaining a concussion during the 4^th quarter of Game 2, Paul George started Game 3, the same way he ended the previous one – dazed and confused. He finished with 17 points but might as well have had zero. George, who was unable to stay on the court due to foul trouble, played a 2014 playoff-low 32 minutes. At times, he didn’t belong on the court as Miami, once again, exposed Indiana’s lack of offensive firepower. After shooting 56.3% in the first quarter, the Pacers shot 44.8% for the remainder of the game. The Pacers were able to survive in the first two rounds against a lesser quality opponent, but against the Heat, that quality of offense isn’t going to win any games.

Now, Miami finds themselves two wins away from a fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals – exactly what James, Wade and Bosh had in mind when they joined forces during the summer of 2010. Granted this series is far from over – a mere victory for the Pacers in Game 4 would turn the tide back in favor of the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. But unless James decides to take the night off, the Pacers are in a hurt of trouble.

The Pacers will be returning home for Game 5 trying to stave off elimination, with hopes of forcing the series back to South Beach for a Game 6. All season long, we heard how the Heat and Pacers were two championship caliber teams. Three games into the Eastern Conference Finals, one of these teams certainly is. And after what will be another Heat victory and cover in Game 4, it certainly won’t be the Pacers.

My Pick: Heat -6.5