The Miami Heat are up 3-2 on the Indiana Pacers in the eastern conference finals and they lead the NBA playoffs standings in the east with Game 6 coming on Friday night and the team can clinch a fourth straight title appearance with a 4-2 series victory and that means LeBron James must recover from his performance on Wednesday night.
The Heat had a chance to clinch the series on Wednesday night and they ended up losing by three despite the terrible game from James and amazingly enough Miami had a chance to win the game on the final shot. James was limited to just seven points and 24 minutes in the game while dealing with foul trouble and now he must rebound to get the Heat into the finals. Bosh ended up with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the game and had the ball in his hands with the clock winding down and he attempted a three when the Heat were down by two after a pass from James, but he clanked it and that basically ended it for the Pacers.
Indy has been a mess from the end of the season until now, but they have been able to get it together to get the series back to 3-2 to stay alive and now they will have to win on the road against Miami. The team has won in South Beach before, but it is a tough task in Game 6 against LeBron James and the Big 3 and the Pacers likely will have to play their best game of the entire season to stay alive. Miami always does well after a loss and they are undefeated in those situations this postseason and James likely will recover after his very off night and foul trouble.
The Pacers got the benefit of a number of calls during the game and it likely will shift with things back in Miami and Paul George will probably say that again if the team loses. George had a great game in the matchup on Wednesday with 37 points and Roy Hibbert led the way with 13 rebounds and those two players will have to be back to that form to win on Friday night. Lance Stephenson had a strange game and in a way an effective one, as he was caught blowing into LeBon's ear (yes, his ear) and also putting his head into the Miami huddle for a moment.
The Heat know the Pacers are a tough team and can win on the road and with a fourth straight finals appearance on the line Miami will bring their A game on Friday night.
Check here for the NBA playoffs standings and schedule for the postseason.
