Game 6 was never in doubt for the two-time defending champions. An early push was never answered, and Miami easily zipped into the NBA Finals for the fourth straight season.
Pacers vs. Heat Game 6 final score, highlights and reaction
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
5 things to know
-
Not one, not two, not three ...
All hail the Miami Heat, who will represent the East in the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year. No team has done that since the 1984-87 Celtics, who got two titles out of the run. Miami is going for No. 3 and is hoping to be the first team since the 2000-2002 Lakers to three-peat.
In other words, the LeBron-Wade-Bosh Heat are historically good. And that's what they promised, isn't it? LeBron said it himself: joining forces in Miami wasn't about winning one or two championships. It was about making history. It was about assembling one of the greatest teams ever. While no individual season Miami has put together compares to the very best in history, the consistent excellence stands out. Remember, Michael Jordan never made four straight Finals appearances. (Credit the Birmingham Barons in 1994 and Shaq in 1995 for that.)
We aren't talking about not five, not six championships quite yet, but the Heat have held up their end of the bargain. Maybe LeBron's boasting predictions back in 2010 weren't so ridiculous after all. -Tom Ziller -
The embarrassing exit we expected
For an epic failure, the Indiana Pacers sure did go a long way. They were only two wins away from an NBA Finals appearance, which is amazing when you consider their tortuous journey. From best team in the league to cruel joke, simply getting to this point seemed to sap their energy and crush their spirit.
It’s hard to pinpoint what was the most embarrassing moment of their freefall. Between Roy Hibbert’s disappearing acts and Lance Stephenson’s antics, there were many examples. Fortunately, they provided one final reassurance that they simply didn’t belong on this stage, losing by 25 points in an elimination game that was never that close. In the end they couldn’t even bother to show up for their own funeral.
The Pacers deserve all the scorn and ridicule that’s coming their way, but it’s also worth noting that they simply weren’t good enough to beat Miami. Their stars weren’t consistent, their gameplans were flawed and their supporting players offered little. They’ve been chasing the Heat for three years, and when presented with their best opportunity, they were left wanting both physically and mentally.
It’s over now, finally, and with that comes tough decisions on everyone from Stephenson to the coaching staff. They were close, but the distance between their dream and their reality feels insurmountable. -Paul Flannery -
Born Ready (for criticism)
Lance Stephenson did everything in his power during this series to make you forget he's a 23-year-old force at both ends of the floor that gets better every year. If that reads like an insult as much as it does a compliment, welcome to Planet Born Ready, where every step forward must also include a minimum of one nationally-recognized step back.
Stephenson followed the most infamous game of his career by coming out of the gates like a bat out of hell in Game 6. Before the first half was over, he had already patted LeBron on the face, whacked Norris Cole across the head (intentionally or not) and received something just short of a death threat from Udonis Haslem. The Pacers were down 26 points at the break, sure, but Lance was the player everyone noticed.
It belied the fact Stephenson played as tough and as physical defense as you'll ever seen against LeBron James. He drilled three three-pointers in the first half to help keep Indiana's faint hopes alive and proved that he, unlike his teammates, wasn't afraid of the moment.
If your takeaway from this series was that Lance Stephenson is a crazy person, few people will dismiss the thought. On the other hand, to play this fearlessly and confidently against the back-to-back champs, you almost have to have a screw loose. The hot takes are just starting on Stephenson as he prepares to enter unrestricted free agency, but you can bet a whole lot of people know his name now who might not have two weeks ago. -Ricky O'Donnell -
The big adjustment
Miami's biggest problem against Indiana has always been the same. Indiana's size makes it difficult for Miami to play its devastating small lineup with Chris Bosh at center, so most figured the Heat would have to use big men like Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen that muck up their floor spacing. The Heat survived last year by using Shane Battier to guard David West passably, but Battier was in no condition to do so this season. Miami lost Game 1 and barely survived Game 2 while searching for an answer.
But eventually, they found it in an unlikely source: Rashard Lewis. The 34-year-old forward made an impact in Game 3, then started the rest of the series while playing brilliantly. He gave Miami enough floor spacing -- reputations die slowly, and Indiana certainly treated him like a shooter even if he didn't make a shot until Game 5 -- while credibly defending West. This allowed Miami to get its most desired matchup: Roy Hibbert having to chase Chris Bosh. Hibbert couldn't do it, and the vaunted Pacers' defense was broken.
This game is funny sometimes. Few expected Lewis to make a difference in this series, and it seemed weird when Spoelstra kept giving him rotation minutes all season. Outside of hot shooting in Game 5, Lewis didn't exactly scorch the nets himself either in this series. But his reputation opened up the floor more than Haslem or Andersen could, and his defense was better than Battier or James Jones. He helped Miami's stars look like stars. -Mike Prada -
The East's cloudy future
The Eastern Conference crown once again rests on LeBron James' head, but the future is less certain. What is next for a conference that's been disappointing for years? Could this be the end of the LEASTern Conference and the start of something more competitive like, say, the Western Conference?
Lots of candidates exist to fill the power vacuum. The "Big Three" could break up. The Pacers have soul searching to do. Phil Jackson is hanging out in a nice leather chair at Knicks headquarters. The Nets will welcome back Brook Lopez with open arms. The Wizards can build on their first playoff berth since 2008. The Hawks remain a flexible and versatile team that is better than their record showed this year. That's without mentioning a hopefully-healthy return of Derrick Rose for the Chicago Bulls, the Raptors' revival and the Charlotte Hornets buzzing back into the NBA. Plus, if a big free agent comes to one of those teams, they immediately vault up the list.
The Pacers are the most fascinating case. This is a team that backed its way into the No. 1 seed by the end of the season and looked outclassed at many points during the postseason. Bench scoring is a problem. Lance Stephenson's contract situation is a problem. Roy Hibbert's inconsistent productivity is a problem. Have they built a house they can simply redecorate, or is it time to make serious adjustments?
The balance of power will be in the air this summer. For now, the Heat again proved why they should be considered a cut above their competition. -Andrew Garrison
Tonight's Schedule
See More:
