Heat vs. Pacers, NBA playoffs 2014 Game 2: Heat storm back to even series

Led by Ray Allen’s sparkling shooting performance, the Heat rebounded from an awful start and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 99-87 Game 3 victory. They now lead the Pacers, 2-1.

A little more of that earlier on could have helped your team hold on to the 15-point lead built up in the first quarter. Better late than never, though.

With the diagnosis, George was forced to go through the NBA’s Return-to-Participation Exertion Protocol. The procedure is mandated under the NBA Concussion Policy. According to the team, George remained symptom free following each step in the process. After consulting Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, the head of the NBA’s concussion program, the Indiana medical staff cleared George to return to normal basketball activity.

Indiana and Miami are tied 1-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. George struggled in Game 2 but is still leading the Pacers, averaging 21.5 points per game in the playoffs. He’s also leading the team in rebounding during the postseason with 8.1 boards per game, and is third in assists at 4.1 per game.

Three seasons ago, as the NFL faced increasing scrutiny over head injuries and suggested ties to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the NBA debuted its new concussion policy. This is a common thing for the NBA: see another league struggle with scandal, and take steps to prevent that from reaching the association. It’s basically the performance-enhancing drug playbook. Deny there’s a problem, but set policies you can point to in order to show the league is being proactive in defending the sanctity of the game, the welfare of its players or whatever. It’s a pretty sharp strategy.

Except when the policy might as well not even exist, because no one heeds it. That’s the story of the NBA concussion policy right now: it’s just words on paper with no actual role in the game.

UPDATE: This flop cost Stephenson $5,000!

The Heat were in a desperate spot, but LeBron James and Dwyane Wade wouldn’t let them lose, scoring 23 of Miami’s final 25 points as the Heat pulled away for a Game 2 victory that ties the series at 1.

Dwyane Wade’s outfit certainly isn’t something off the rack, nor is it something I could pull off, but it’s fairly straightforward for an NBA guy. White shirt, white jacket, nothing too interesting ... until he stands up for the great reveal:

SHORTS. Big, baggy white shorts with black socks and shiny black shoes. It’s the classic TV anchor I’m-sitting-anyway-so-why-should-I-dress-up-below-the-waist-move ... except Wade went with this look throughout the night:

The two went sprawling for a loose ball after George poked away Wade’s dribble in the fourth quarter. They collided, with Wade flipping over the top of George.

When George went down, it initially looked as though he was holding his face trying to cover his eyes in pain. The situation was typical of the series and of Game 2, which saw players’ bodies strewn about the hardwood multiple times.

Neither team could take control offensively, playing a sluggish first half that saw the Heat head into the third quarter up, 41-37. Indiana’s tight defense helped corral Miami, who made adjustments from Game 1’s terrible performance on the pick-and-roll.

Game 3 is Saturday in Miami at 5:30 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.

Indiana fans fled Bankers Life Fieldhouse early after watching Game 2 slip away from their Pacers, which is understandable. ESPN captured the big, yellow exodus and caught some disrespect from one fan.

He’s in all white, though, so...maybe that’s actually a Heat fan? Let’s ENHANCE:

The home team got the crowd behind them early in Game 1, catching fire from three and running out to a quick 10-point advantage. The much-maligned Indiana offense was in early-season form, and they never let up throughout the entire game. Every time the Heat made a run, the Pacers had an answer. Indiana shot 51.5 percent for the game and scored 107 points, the team’s highest output this postseason.

Game time: 8:30 p.m. ET

While they looked very impressive in the opening game, it is unlikely they’ll continue to score like this, however if Miami doesn’t wake up their intensity and energy on defense, expect more fireworks from the Pacers.