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Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers
The biggest game of the season has arrived for the Miami Heat as they hit the road to face the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. A win over Indiana for the Heat is the best shot for them to avoid the play-in tournament and jump into the 6th seed. Miami enters the game coming up with a big victory over the Knicks and a victory over the Rockets after falling to the 76ers. The play-in tournament route would be a tough road through the playoffs for Miami.
Jimmy Butler would finish the game with 27 points with 7 rebounds, and 7 assists in a game that was mostly catching up all evening. Tyler Herro was second in the box score with 21 points followed by both Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin who would both put up 20 points. Terry Rozier only put up four points and Duncan Robinson didn't score at all in the night. It was also a quiet night for the bench excluding Herro and Martin.
For the Pacers who have impressed this season and seem to have taken a step forward it was Myles Turner who finished the night with 22 points and 13 rebounds after starting the week with a dislocated finger. T.J. McConnell was second in the box score with 22 points coming off of 11 for 14 shooting. Both the starting lineup and bench for Indiana outshined Miami just by looking at the numbers.
It was a night where the Heat trailed all game and could not hit a shot even when they got good looks which was very few due to great Indiana defense. The Heat did manage to comeback from 21 points to make this a ballgame. A clutch three-point shot from Herro made it a one-point game with just 23 seconds left in the game.
A lane violation on a pair of free throws from Herro would turn the basketball over to the Pacers who would then have the opportunity to milk the clock. Pacers win their 4th straight defeating the Heat 117-115 remaining in 6th of the Eastern Conference. There is still a chance the Heat can get the 6th spot but this was their best chance and it'll be very difficult now.
Next up for the Miami Heat is a road game visiting the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Written by: Daniel Torres
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