<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI (Ticker) -- The Miami Heat try to remain unbeaten at home in the playoffs and even the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday. The Heat have won their first five home games during the postseason, defeating the New Orleans Hornets four times in the first round and posting a 94-87 victory over the Pacers in Game Three here on Monday. Dwyane Wade scored 25 points to lead five players in double figures and Lamar Odom added 16 and nine rebounds for Miami, which shot 47 percent (31-of-66) from the floor and made 27-of-38 free throws. Jermaine O'Neal collected 29 points and nine rebounds and Jamaal Tinsley scored 16 on 6-of-8 shooting for the Pacers, who had won their first six playoff games - all by double figures. MEANINGFUL MATCHUP: Wade vs. F Ron Artest. Wade finally outplayed Artest in Game Three and Miami got its first victory in the series. The rookie made 7-of-15 shots from the floor, 11-of-12 free throws and collected six assists and five rebounds. After scoring 45 points in the first two games, Artest was held to 14 points on 4-of-18 shooting in Game Three and fouled out with 21 seconds remaining. </div> <div align="center"><u>Full Story</u></div> <div align="left"> </div> <div align="left">Pacers have got to take this game or else they have a whole new series on their hands. They played horribly on Monday but were still able to compete until the last minutes. I look for Indiana to do something different on defence maybe doubling on Wade every time he gets the ball. They can't let him go off or they will almost gurantee a loss.</div> <div align="center"> </div>
^I know. I was pleading for the Pacers to let Reggie go off in the 4th quarter but to no avail. Expecting Tinsley to keep on shooting like this is not the way to go. Pacer's need Reggie to shoot the ball if they want to win, especially in the 4th quarter.
I think Wade will be the only Heat player who has a good game. I just have a feeling everyone else will struggle. I think Indy will win the next 2 to move on to the next round. Should be a good game though.
I picked Indiana in 6 and I will continue to stay by that prediction. If Pacers do indeed lose tonight a set of panic could start creeping in. Afterall they havn't been in this position (being a success) for a number of years. Obviously Ron Artest needs to bring his A game, otherwise Miami could steal their 18th straight home win.
^Artest' defence will always be constant but I agree that he needs to step up his offensive game. Overall if the Pacers do not make the proper adjustments on Wade they will lose plain and simple. Get the damn ball out of this kids hands!! I look for them to come out strong for this game but it does not gurantee a victory.
Box Scores Where was Artest and the rest of the team's defense? Three Heat players scored over 20. Skip was on fire. 11 points in 16 minutes including 3 threes. JO and Artest had a great game with 37 and 28 points respectively. But Reggie? 0 field goals in 5 attempts including 4 attempts from the 3 area. Great game by Butler with a double double. It's time to press the panic button for Indiana. They never imagined that the Heat will fight back.
^I don't think any button has to be pushed yet. But the Pacers better shape up the way they are defending or else they will be toast in this series. It bothers me how they can't solve Dwayne Wade yet. Ron Artest looked ineffective guarding him as well. The next few games will be a dogfight and you can tell the intensity is rising.
The only thing Miami has done is hold serve, same as the Pacers. Miami still has to win one at Conseco or they haven't really done anything. The only thing that matters is advancing, and so far the Pacers have done everything they need to do to make that happen. The problem is that a lot of people (especially Pacers fans) thought that because of their regular season success and they way they steam-rollered the lowly Celts, that it would carry over into the Miami series and would wrap it up in at most 5 games. I thought that was unrealistic expectations to begin with. This is the 2nd round. We're down to the four best teams (clearly!) in the EC. Miami is a better team that a lot of people were willing to give them credit for. Now that the Pacers aren't mopping the floor with them people think something is wrong. Home court is playing a strong roll in this series. This series is a lot like the Pistons/Nets series. The home crowd is making a significant difference on how the home team plays, and that has seemed to have a big affect on the visitors as well. In the case for both teams, if they take care of business in game 5 and play the way they are perfectly capable of playing, they'll be in the driver's seat for closing these series out. Then we can get to the series we've all been waiting for - Pistons vs. Pacers
