Pacers Defeat Heat, 102-98

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Miami Heat, 102-98, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
on Sunday. In a battle between two teams battling for a playoff spot in the
east, Indiana were able to prevail with a much needed victory. They led for the
majority of this game, as Miami never led by more than four points and only held
the lead for a total of five minutes. Free-throw shooting was the decisive
statistic, with Indiana going 27-of-32 from the charity stripe, while Miami
could only go 11-of-16. Fastbreak points was also a glaring difference, with the
Pacers winning that battle, 16-0. The Heat (32-35) had to play this game without
Goran Dragic (eye), as they simply didn’t have enough bullets to beat this
hungry Pacers team. Hassan Whiteside did all he could for Miami, as he totaled
26 points and 21 rebounds in the defeat. Dion Waiters was the only other starter
in double figures, as he collected 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Wayne Ellington led the bench, as he dropped 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting.
James Johnson also played well off the bench, providing 14 points and four
rebounds. The Heat will be off until Wednesday, when they host the struggling
New Orleans Pelicans for their next game. The Pacers (34-32) have been dominant
at home all season, with this win giving them their 23rd home victory of the
year. Paul George was the player of the game, tallying 28 points and 10
rebounds. Myles Turner finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Jeff Teague
accrued 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. Thaddeus Young was the only
other Pacer in double figures, as he amassed 13 points and five rebounds.
Indiana’s next game is on Tuesday in a road matchup against the New York Knicks.