The Miami Heat knew they'd be in for a tough Eastern Conference Finals with the Indiana Pacers.
Narrowly escaping Game 1 with a victory and then dropping Game 2 by four points, the Heat found themselves in a dog fight and felt a different offensive approach would be necessary in order to keep up with Indiana's superior physicality.
Entering Game 3, Miami elected to use their best player and most consistent offensive threat - league MVP LeBron James - as more of a post player, hoping he'd be able to use his stellar athleticism to defeat Pacer stars Roy Hibbert, David West and Paul George.
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Miami's new offense worked great as James put down 22 points, mostly working from inside as the Heat dominated Game 3, dropping the Pacers 114-96 to take a 2-1 series lead.
When and Where to Watch Game 4
The Heat are now in position to take a commanding 3-1 series lead as they enter their second game in Indiana. Game 4 is set to tip on Tuesday, May 28 at 8:30pm, EDT with television coverage available through the TNT network.
Game 3 Recap
Miami was very fortunate to enter Game 3 in a 1-1 series tie considering they were outplayed by Indiana throughout most of the first 2 contests.
Knowing they'd need to find more balance within their offense, the Heat and head coach Erik Spoelstra focused part of the offense on LeBron James in the post while also involving role players Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen on a more consistent basis.
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The subtle changes panned out for Miami as the defending champions received 17 points from Haslem, 14 from Chalmers and a solid 9 from Andersen on their way to a convincing game 3 victory, a stat line their head coach is excited about moving forward.
"We had a lot of contributions tonight so it was a good step forward," Erik Spoelstra said to NBA.com reporters. "But we know how competitive this series is. We already have to start putting this behind us and now start getting ready for the next challenge, the next battle in Game 4."
The game 3 win was arguably Miami's best performance in this year's playoffs. The complete team effort aided the Heat in shooting well-over 50% from the floor while holding Indiana to under 40% from the field. Miami also knocked down 85% of their free throws as opposed to the 68% Indiana converted, a category that certainly aided in Miami taking a 2-1 advantage.
Watching LeBron dominate the interior throughout the contest, Pacers center Roy Hibbert knows his team needs to make serious changes if they're to have any chance at knocking off the 2012 NBA Champions.
"He (James) was in the post doing a lot of work, and I think we have to do a better job of helping Paul out," Hibbert said to ESPN. "LeBron can't get five or six dribbles to get a post move. We have to make adjustments. He's obviously a low-post threat but we have to make adjustments."
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Hibbert did provide Indiana with 20 points and 17 rebounds as he continues a stellar postseason but his efforts weren't enough to slow James and the total team dominance by the Heat.
Wrap-Up
As the series remains in Indiana for Game 4, the Pacers surely need a win to avoid what would be considered an insurmountable deficit considering Miami's experience and offensive capabilities.
Looking to even the series at 2 games apiece, be sure to watch the Indiana Pacers host the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Tip time is set for 8:30pm, EDT on Tuesday, May 28 with coverage available through the TNT television network.
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS From Miami's Game 3 Victory:
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