The Heat Rise, while Pacers Continue To Plummet

While watching the Miami Heat shaking hands with the Charlotte Bobcats after their 4-0 series sweep, and then seeing LeBron James and Michael Jordan have a quick moment, I thought to myself, “What the hell can I take away from this series that the Heat just had?” Then it hit me, nothing at all.

Unlike the struggles that the Indiana Pacers have illustrated, the Miami Heat haven’t really been through any in this post-season.  The Heat did exactly what they were supposed to do to a Bobcats team that only won 43 games. 

The calm, cool and collected attitude that the Miami Heat have shown through these playoffs comes from a team that has been to three straight NBA finals, winning the last two. The Pacers on the other hand, they’ve taken a severe nose-dive from their lofty expectations coming into the season.

When the season began in November, Stephen A. Smith from ESPN conducted an interview with the Pacers and their young budding super-stars. The Pacers spoke about how this season would either be championship or bust.

By the All-Star break they were sitting at 40-12 with the best record in the East. Then inexplicably the team started to fall apart at the seams. By the end of the regular season they fought as hard as they could to get the #1 seed and claim home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Where do the Pacers find themselves now? In a 3-2 hole against the Atlanta Hawks who won 38 games, 18 games fewer then what they won. After regaining home-court advantage by winning game four and tying up the series 2-2, the Pacers found themselves losing by as many as 30 points on their home floor in game 5. Huh?

A team that fought so hard for home court who has already lost 2 of 3 games played there lost in their own arena by 30? Not good.

We’ve all heard the phrase, ” I told you so.” Quite frankly, we all tend to hate it when people use that phrase towards us when we did something they said would or would not happen. That is exactly what the Heat will be saying to the Pacers if they lose this series.

Miami will be saying their actions towards the end of the regular season should have told the Pacers that home court was not important. What is important is getting healthy.

The end of the regular season for the Heat was about resting the aging Dwyane Wade throughout the season and unleashing his talents in the playoffs when the games matter most.

All the playoff teams should take a hard look at the Miami Heat and take notes. This is how a team needs to perform come NBA playoff time, by beating the teams they are supposed to, and not losing home court advantage. 

There are still a lot of games to be played for the Miami Heat in these playoffs, I’m sure of it. But one thing is for certain, there was nothing of substance anyone could take away from this round series between the Heat and Bobcats.

Even with the age of this Miami Heat group, and the team slowing down compared to the last two years, there is still one thing that can’t be taught; EXPERIENCE. And experience is something the Heat have plenty of. 

The Miami Heat took care of business just like the other top seeded team needed to do. Unfortunately for the other top seed, their downward spiral into NBA infamy will continue until they are officially eliminated.

The Heat on the other hand can sit back and rest, while waiting patiently for the Toronto Raptors or Brooklyn Nets in pursuing their opportunity to become the next great Dynasty in NBA history. This is going to be fun to watch.