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 Being without Wade and All-Star forward Chris Bosh - the latter is
out indefinitely with a blood clot in his left calf - has led to
Miami speeding up the pace and it is averaging 114.5 points in
back-to-back wins with forward Luol Deng emerging to average 28.5
points and 10.5 rebounds. "You have to play to the strengths of your
personnel," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporter after Saturday's
114-94 rout of the Washington Wizards. "I know fans love to see this
and our players love to play it." Indiana recorded a 105-102 road
victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday for its fourth win in five
games, a stretch that includes an impressive road win in Oklahoma
City. "Our whole mindset has shifted," Pacers forward Paul George
told reporters after the win over Orlando. "We're playing with more
confidence down the stretch in games, with a confidence that we're
supposed to win. It's going to change the way we finish the season."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, FSN Sun (Miami)
ABOUT THE PACERS (30-25): Indiana stands fifth in the Eastern
Conference - one game behind Miami - and figures it can make a run
at finishing third in the conference and possibly even second.
"We're past the growing pains, and we went through a reboot during
the All-Star break," guard Monta Ellis told reporters. "Everyone
came back with a goal we're trying to meet, and that's finishing the
second half strong and catch fire leading into the playoffs." Ellis
is averaging 24 points and made 8-of-12 from 3-point range in the
first two games after the break while George had 20 points against
Orlando for his sixth straight 20-point outing and he is averaging
24.3 points during the stretch.
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ABOUT THE HEAT (31-24): The faster pace has allowed point guard
Goran Dragic to roam the floor similar to the way he once did while
starring for the Phoenix Suns and he scored a season-high 24 points
to go with eight assists and seven rebounds in the win over the
Wizards. "It's really fun," Dragic told reporters. "Everybody's
loose and playing free-minded, just reacting and trying to push that
ball. Everybody's running and everybody's dangerous. We're moving
the ball, too." Dragic is averaging 20.5 points, nine assists and
six rebounds in the two games and has scored in double digits in
five straight consecutive contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pacers have lost eight of their last nine regular-season
games in Miami, including a 103-100 overtime defeat on Jan. 4.
2. Heat C Hassan Whiteside had 25 points and 23 rebounds against the
Wizards for the second 20-20 game of his career.
3. Indiana rookie PF Myles Turner has scored in double digits in six
straight games and 14 of the last 16.
PREDICTION: Pacers 105, Heat 103
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