If you’re still asking whether the Indiana Pacers are for real, you’re probably the same person that’s still sending gwop to Sarah Palin’s Vice Presidential campaign. For basketball fans who want to see the best contests possible, the Heat-Pacers series has been a taste of heaven.
LeBron James’ superiority as a basketball player is a very influential factor when considering what team to ride with in this series. The NBA is a stars league and when you have the Lamborghini of basketball players, there’s no real reason to fear the outcome of any contest.
Who would dare argue that King James was in trouble after his riveting Game 5 performance? If history was the indicator, the Pacers blew their chance at shocking the world by shooting blanks in the second half of that game. No way they could win two in a row.
Lebron’s destiny became a bigger story than the Pacers prolific team effort, defense and desire. It was assumed that eventually King James would be too much for Indiana—regardless of how feebly his supporting cast was putting it down.
The reality of this series, which will be decided by a fight-for-your-life Game 7, is that the Pacers have beaten and bumped Miami. They have Miami entangled in a backyard brawl that has taken the Heat by surprise and created doubt in the outcome of a series that no one gave the Pacers a chance to really win. Frank Vogel's squad has earned the respect of basketball pundits, but LBJ has the hearts of basketball fans. As we sit on the precipice of a decisive ECF game, those with a gun to their heads are breathing easy in risking their mortality on a “sure thing.”
Last season, that sure thing was LBJ, but in the words of legendary female rapper Eve, “Love is blind and it will take over your mind.”
Those who can get past the preconceived notions, realize that Miami has a problem. Indiana has the rare paint presence in Roy Hibbert, youth, and rising stars in Paul George and Lance Stephenson and a defensive conscience that is unrelenting and deadly. Some might say that regardless of the outcome, Indiana has proved to be the better team. Miami just has the best player.
George Hill is one of those team guys that proved one game is not a series make, and after being blasted for his Game 5 ineptness, came out like gangbusters on Saturday.
He’s one of the dudes that have the power to affect Lebron’s destiny. Every game in this series always comes down to what LBJ is going to do. If we calm down, check ourselves and read the fine print, maybe a truth no one wants to accept is driving this series. Could the Pacers just have iller pieces? Could Miami be a sexy regular season darling, who can be exposed in the playoffs?
A Pacers win would alter NBA history, and probably piss David Stern off.
We’ll find out on Monday.
