1. I’m the fool that believes in karma, and before the game even started tonight I was smacked across the face with good karma. First I was involved in a Twitter conversation with Justin Kanew, one of my favorite Amazing Race contestants ever. Soon after, Charles Barkley called Skip Bayless an idiot on live television, which immediately vaulted into the top five in my Best Moments of 2013 List. The Heat can thank Justin, Charles and I for the win.

Jun 3, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers shooting guard Lance Stephenson (1) during the first quarter of game 7 of the 2013 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

2. You know how at family gatherings the adults need to let the little kids join in on some of the activities and make them feel important so they don’t mope and whine the rest of the day? Well, I felt like Miami going to Wade and Bosh early and often was the equivalent of this. As LeBron stated on Inside the NBA, he made a point to get Wade and Bosh involved immediately. The first possession of the game was a play designed for Wade. The second possession was one for Bosh. And even though force feeding Wade and Bosh in the 1^st quarter didn’t equate to immediate results (Miami trailed 21-19 going into the 2^nd quarter), it was beneficial later on. Giving credit where credit is due, Wade and Bosh didn’t do the basketball equivalent of moping and whining at all.

3. In large part because of Wade and Bosh, the Heat had the rebounding edge for the first time in a coon’s age. They were understandably struggling to keep a much bigger Indiana team off the glass through the first six games, but collectively the Heat turned the energy level up to a notch that Indiana wasn’t ready to get to in Game 7. The epitome of this was a play Dwyane Wade made (Look at me giving Wade all kinds of love). Wade backed George Hill down in the post, missed a floater in the paint, beat Hill to the rebound, got fouled and made the basket. Wade wasn’t making that play in Games 1 through 6. And really, outside of LeBron, no Heat player was.

4. If getting beat of the boards wasn’t bad enough, Indiana’s problem with turnovers reared its ugly head in Game 7. The Pacers had 21 turnovers (15 in the 1^st half) against the one team in the league that you absolutely do not want to turn the ball over against.

5. Chris “Birdman” Andersen missed his first shot of the series (he missed two actually) bringing his streak of consecutive shots made to an end at 18 straight. Apparently being “caged” for Game 6—Everyone else had made that stupid joke, I figured I might as well join in while it was still somewhat appropriate—contributed to some rust in Game 7.

6. In more upbeat Birdman news, he effectively pulled the chair on David West, a move that is seldom used but so often effective. I love using that move in pick-up games at college against cocky jacked up frat bros who think they are God’s gift to this earth but can’t play a lick of basketball.

7. Speaking of David West, is he overrated or underrated right now? I haven’t gotten the memo yet. It seems like West is on a never ending teeter-totter which constantly gives him the title of “overrated” or “underrated.” More importantly for West, he might have a new title next to his name going into next season: Overpaid. If any free agent to be made himself some money this postseason it was West, who played with a certain edge and fearlessness against Miami, an attitude necessary if they are going to be beaten 4 out of 7 times. Indiana should have the cap space to keep West around, but don’t be surprised if he fields some big offers elsewhere.

8. My parents never fail to offer up noteworthy dialogue during Heat games. Their commentary makes games at least 20 times more stressful, but at times at least 20 times more entertaining too. Tonight my Dad rose up to the challenge of giving me a game related quote when twice he said “I hate that ******* ref” when talking about official Ken Mauer. I can’t help but wonder if he is going to get hit with a $75,000 fine for inappropriate language and for criticizing an official.

Jun 3, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) is defended by Miami Heat power forward Chris Andersen (11) in the fourth quarter during game 7 of the 2013 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell- USA TODAY Sports

9. This happened. And if that doesn’t get Roy Hibbert a Gatorade sponsorship, I don’t know what will. Well, on second thought, his recent media snafu might deter sponsors from rushing to his doorstep.

10. In all seriousness, props to Roy Hibbert.  The big man had been called soft at times, and on more than one occasion I made the all-too obvious jokes about how only after tennis, golf and piano fell through, Roy decided to play basketball. Hibbert shut me up this postseason and nearly ended the Heat quest for back to back titles too. I never thought I’d see the day that Hibbert would require constant fronting and double-teams every time he touched the ball even against a smaller team like Miami, but that day has come. Maybe this is a prisoner of the moment type statement, but Hibbert, who is only 26 years old, is arguably one of the three best centers in the league.

11. Oh yeah, this happened too. And Twitter lost its collective mind about it.

12. Paul George had a lackluster Game 7, but you can’t overstate how impressive Paul George was in the first six games of the series. In so many ways he’s the closest thing to LeBron that there is in the league, and he had no problems going toe to toe with him. Game 1 was George’s introduction to any casual basketball fan who hadn’t heard his two first names before. The late desperation three and the three very cool free throws to give Indiana the lead with 2 seconds left in overtime put George on the map. The dunk over Birdman and ensuing handshake with LeBron and the end of the 3^rd quarter put a star next to his name. The East belongs to Miami right now, but down the road it will belong to George, Hibbert, Vogel and the Pacers. Unless LeBron ditches Miami and goes back to Cleveland to play with Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson, the #1 pick in this year’s draft, and Anderson Varejao (or whatever Cleveland gets in a trade for him)… But that’s a different story for another time. Actually, let’s tackle that now.

13. What would’ve been the fallout if Miami blew Game 7? Prior to the game, I would’ve said one of three things happens:
A. Bosh or Wade gets traded and the makeup of the team changes so drastically that it puts Miami in a better position to make the Finals next year.
B. Bosh or Wade gets traded, but because they sucked so badly for the last two weeks the Heat can’t get a whole lot for two aging stars with huge contracts.

C. Things stay the same and Miami, coming in with the same exact team they had this year, loses to Indiana (or maybe a completely healthy Bulls team) next year.

Now since Miami didn’t lose in Game 7, the psyche of the team remains unchanged. The Big Three have made the Finals all three years they have been together, and armed with home court advantage, have put themselves in a situation where a repeat championship is very possible. They’ve maintained alpha dog status in the East and with four more wins, they join an elite group of teams that we won back to back titles. Things appear golden for Miami for years to come, but the Miami’s long term outlook isn’t looking too great, unless you believe that the collective funk that Wade and Bosh have been in is in fact just a funk and not two “star” players both well past their primes. Regardless, the window of the Heat trio is closing more quickly than some want to realize. The only question now is whether LeBron James will be trapped inside, or whether he’ll be the one closing it.

14. LeBron James continues to prove that while he is at the peak of his powers he doubles as the undisputed greatest basketball player alive. Aside from the obvious 32 points and 8 rebounds stat line, LeBron dominated Game 7 in every way imaginable, as he does so often. His most impressive form of domination tonight? How he made Paul George a complete non-factor in the game. George finished with 7 points on 2 for 9 shooting, 7 rebounds and 6 fouls in large part because LeBron had George in shackles off the ball all night long. George never had any room to breathe. It was an incredible display of individual defense. Just another notch in LeBron’s belt I suppose.

15. Now it’s on to the NBA Finals. Miami vs. San Antonio, in a matchup that is interesting outside of the X’s and O’s. It’s been a long time where so much legacy talk will be warranted in the Finals. Two weeks ago I wrote about what individuals had the most to gain in the remaining two rounds of the postseason. I had LeBron, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra, and Gregg Popovich ranked 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 8^th respectively. The stakes won’t be this high in an NBA Finals again for a very long time.

Just a few minutes ago, the NBA announced that Hibbert has been fined $75,000 for “inappropriate and vulgar language.”

Roy Hibbert has been fined $75,000 for use of “inappropriate and vulgar language” in postgame press conference last night.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) June 2, 2013

This fine is right in line with previous fine’s the NBA has handed out. Two years ago, Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for using a gay slur towards a referee.

George has provided some memorable moments in his first Eastern Conference Finals, including a game tying three pointer late in Game 1 and a huge dunk on Chris “Birdman” Andersen.

Last night in Game 6, he added to his highlight real with another big dunk – this time on Chris Bosh. Check out the play below in slow motion, thanks to the NBA’s “Phantom Cam.”

Jun 1, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) is defended by Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem (40) during the first half in game six of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Last night, the Indiana Pacers staved off elimination in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals by defeating the Miami Heat 91-77 behind sublime performances from Paul George and Roy Hibbert. George finished with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, while Hibbert put up 24 points and 11 rebounds while playing impressive defense down low.

Unfortunately, due to a few comments from Hibbert, the post-game press conference is being talked about more than the actual game. Most of the time, post-game pressers are a waste of time, filled with “coach and player speak” and cliches. But last night, Hibbert was rather candid.

There are two separate comments from the Pacers’ big man that have people talking.

First, was this comment.

“The momentum could have shifted right there if [James] got an easy dunk,” Hibbert said. “There was what — was it Game 3 here? I really felt that I let Paul down in terms of having his back when LeBron was scoring in the post or getting to the paint, because they stretched me out so much. No homo.”

Later on, Hibbert said,

“You know what, because y’all (expletive) don’t watch us play throughout the year, to tell you the truth. That’s fine. I’m going to be real with you. And I don’t care if I get fined. You know what, we play, we’re not on TV all the time. Reporters are the ones that are voting. And it is what it is. If I don’t make it, that’s fine. I’m still going to do what I have to do.”

While the colorful name Hibbert called the media may have been inappropriate for national television, that comment isn’t the issue. He swore at press conference – he shouldn’t have said it, but it isn’t that big of a deal.

The second comment, the “no homo” he dropped, is the problem. For those unfamiliar with the term, it is basically a way of making sure people don’t think you’re gay if you say something that could be construed that way. It’s an unnecessary and offensive joke.

For his part, Hibbert issued a statement apologizing for the comment and also reached out to Jason Collins on Twitter.

“I am apologizing for insensitive remarks made during the postgame press conference after our victory over Miami Saturday night. They were disrespectful and offensive and not a reflection of my personal views. I used a slang term that is not appropriate in any setting, private or public, and the language I used definitely has no place in a public forum, especially over live television. I apologize to those who I have offended, to our fans and to the Pacers’ organization. I sincerely have deep regret over my choice of words last night.”

@jasoncollins34 hey can I get a follow. Would like to discuss something’s with you.

— Roy Hibbert (@Hoya2aPacer) June 2, 2013

Hibbert’s comment was a sophomoric attempt at humor and offended many people. Was it the worst thing someone has ever said? No. But it wasn’t appropriate, and he shouldn’t have said it. I don’t think he was trying to be offensive, I just think it was ignorant. He seems genuinely remorseful however, and hopefully this can be a learning point for the future.

1: A little known rule: An NBA official should never be a trending topic on Twitter unless he kisses a former NBA player on the mouth after a race. That rule was broken during Game 4 when Joe Crawford was trending during the 4^th quarter. Look, I’m not one to complain about bad officiating when my favorite team loses, and I’m certainly not in a position to do so now. Not only was LeBron curiously whistled for four fouls in the 4^th quarter, but the refs also whiffed on a very obvious shot clock violation call that would’ve and should’ve been the lead on SportsCenter if the Heat had ended up winning the game. The Game 4 officiating crew was terrible all the way around and Game 5 was better (although by way of the current rules regarding flagrant fouls, Birdman should’ve been kicked out of the game after he truck-sticked Tyler Hansbrough). Officials should never do anything to garner this much attention. They should simply act as unbiased, uninvolved, and relatively silent beings that only exist but do not contribute to the result of the game in any way, shape or form… sort of like what Dwyane Wade has been doing.

2: Can my parents survive many more close Heat games? I certainly hope so. Watching Heat games with them makes my viewing experience at least 20 times more stressful than it would be otherwise. It’s gotten to the point that my mom’s dialogue during Miami games is eerily similar to that of Bobby Heenan’s when he used to rant about Ric Flair.  If the Heat were to win tonight I wouldn’t be surprised if she unleashed an emphatic, “To be the man, you have to beat the man!”

3: Watching Roy Hibbert and David West overwhelm Chris Bosh, Birdman, Udonis Haslem and Shane Battier down low has brought back memories of what it was like for me to try bang bodies with the seniors when I was a 9^th grader on the JV basketball team and we scrimmaged the varsity team. It was fundamentally unfair and feels that way now. If this continued to happen to Miami it didn’t seem possible that the Heat could win the series unless…

4: LeBron James, as Kenny Smith put it, “Turns into Superman.” In Game 5 he did. Will he put on the cape again tonight?

Let’s pick things up with Miami leading 40-39 going into the 2^nd half.

3^rd Quarter

11:25- Udonis Haslem draws his 185^th charge of the year, staying slightly ahead of Shane Battier for the team and league lead. Haslem was absolutely huge in Games 3 and 5, scoring 33 points on 16 for 18 shooting which is not what the Heat are used to from him…

11:00- If only Haslem was 3 or 4 inches taller he would’ve been able to prevent that tip-in from Roy Hibbert. Indy leads 41-40.

10:50- Hold on.

Sorry, I had to go splash some water on my face. Dwyane Wade made his first basket of the game off of an assist from LeBron. Steve Kerr brings up Dwyane Wade’s 40 point outburst against Indiana last year in Game 6. Let’s just say times have changed for Dwyane Wade, and not for the better.

Jun 1, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) shoots over Indiana Pacers shooting guard Lance Stephenson (1) during the second half in game six of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

10:11- It never fails. After he makes one shot, Dwyane Wade will always (Repeat: ALWAYS) take a shot on the very next possession. Wade and Bosh are now 2-13 in the game; 6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 turnovers.

9:04- As LeBron dribbles underneath the basket he draws a blocking foul on Roy Hibbert. It shocks me that LeBron through six games still refuses to challenge Roy Hibbert in the paint. I understand Hibbert is a giant, but Mario Chalmers is challenging him. Why isn’t LeBron?  Where did that floater go?

8:49- David West—apparently playing with a 103 degree fever thanks to a respiratory infection—hits his first shot of the game, prompting a quick timeout from Erik Spoelstra. To say that Miami is locked in right now would be like saying my parents are enjoying this game. Pacers lead 48-42.

8:10-7:50- Wade misses a transition layup which leads to audible laughter from me. You would think that I’m a “Heat hater” with how much I enjoy Dwyane Wade miscues. The sloppy sequence continues when Chalmers picks Paul George’s pocket and misses a second transition layup – this one as uncontested as any layup Chalmers had in warm-ups.

7:40- LeBron draws an offensive foul on Paul George and will likely lose a little money out of his bank account thanks to his reaction, which can only be described as “gunshot victim in a poorly produced action movie.” It wasn’t enough for LeBron to become the best basketball player in the world. He’s also the most egregious flopper on the planet.

6:11- Miami’s offense is reminiscent of bad pick-up basketball offense right now. You’d think these guys never played with each other before. Marv Albert called the Heat offense in the 3^rd quarter an “adventure.” “Downright effing terrible” was what came to my mind. Adventure works though.

5:55- No worries. Offensive juggernaut Joel Anthony is entering the game now after Udonis Haslem picks up his 4^th foul.

5:48- Roy Hibbert spins right past Joel Anthony and slams it home, leading to an angry Coach Spo timeout. “The Miami Cavaliers” is trending on Twitter right now. That’s actually unfair to the former Cavaliers. You want a stat to put things in perspective?

The 2006-07 Cleveland Cavaliers started Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes and Sasha Pavlovic alongside LeBron James. During the Cavaliers 20 game postseason run in 2007, those starters (not including LeBron) averaged 44.5 points per game. Wade, Bosh, Haslem and Chalmers were averaging 42.8 points going into this game, and spoiler alert, that number is going to go down after Game 6.

5:30- Whoa look out! Dwyane Wade just buried a corner three off a dish from LeBron. I could’ve swore he had a “DNR” by his name, but apparently LeBron James taken control of the defibrillator and doing everything he can to make sure Wade maintains a pulse.

5:07- Paul George answers with a three of his own and the Pacers crowd goes bonkers. The Pacers lead by 11. It can’t be said enough how sensational Paul George has been this postseason. Offensively he’s risen to the challenge of matching the output of his defensive matchup, which more often than not has been the opposing teams best offensive player (Josh Smith, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron). Over the last week I’ve asked two reliable sources if they thought Paul George was a top ten player in the league. Both said yes. I’m leaning towards agreeing with them.

3:17- Ray Allen misses another three pointer. My mom continues to believe he is still under contract with the Celtics, simply acting as a saboteur to the Miami Heat championship hopes. I think she is only half kidding.

1:40- Forced to because it was late in the shot clock, LeBron challenges Hibbert in the paint and scores. The Pacers lead is cut to 14. It’s about damn time LeBron unleashes the floater. He perfected it last year and has only used it two or three times so far this series.

1:25- George blows right by Dwyane Wade, who might as well have been a department store mannequin, for the dunk. Pacers back up by 16. Again, George has been sensational tonight. Best player on the floor tonight and that includes LeBron.

2.6- LeBron drives to the basket and gets fouled by George, much to the dismay of the Pacers crowd. It’s LeBron’s first two free throw attempts of the game which makes a whole bunch of sense considering he’s spent no time in the post and hasn’t attacked the basket yet.

Jun 1, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) is defended by Indiana Pacers point guard George Hill (3) during the second half in game six of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

0.1- A silly pass by David West—maybe he’s on medication that is making him delusional— combined with cornerback like pursuit by LeBron leads to two freebies from LeBron at the line. Wow. That was a rough 3^rd quarter that could easily be a 17 point lead instead of just 13. Pacers lead 68-55 going into the 4^th quarter.

4^th Quarter

11:44- Boobie Gibson, JJ Hickson and Sasha Pavlovic enter the game for the Cleveland… oh wait, that’s not right. Mike Miller and his spotty facial hair come into the game for the Miami Heat. Appropriately, Miller travels on the first possession of the 4^th quarter. Good times.

11:01- Steve Kerr marvels at the fact that LeBron is saddled by Miller, Allen, Cole and Anthony right now. The likelihood of LeBron leaving Miami to go back to Cleveland in the summer of 2014 just went up at least 25 percent. Seriously, can anyone still make a rational argument as to why LeBron should stay in Miami instead of going back to Cleveland in 2014 without saying the phrase, “Well who wants to live in Cleveland?” Give me Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Anderson Varejao (or whatever the Cavaliers trade Varejao for), Tristan Thompson, the #1 pick in this draft and a lottery pick next year for the rest of LeBron’s career over the past their prime versions of Wade and Bosh, and a ragtag supporting cast featuring late 1^st round draft selections and veteran castoffs.

9:14- Frank Vogel advises Paul George to grab a quick timeout. Pacers lead 68-58.  Vogel is clearly in shock, either because he’s playing against the aforementioned Heat lineup, or because in nearly three minutes his team hasn’t scored against this Heat lineup.

8:11- Back to back three’s for Mike Miller and all of the sudden I’m “Gator chomping” in my living room. Pacers lead 70-64. This Heat lineup is improbably on a 9-2 run. I wonder if Spo would dare keep Wade and Bosh (4 for 18 right now) on the bench down the stretch.

5:25- After the Heat cut the lead to 4, Paul George drills a straightaway three to extend the lead back to 7. I feel like in the Small Forward power rankings, George is sitting firmly in 3^rdbehind LeBron and Durant. The only remaining question is whether George can even see Carmelo in his rearview mirror.

Jun 1, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) drives to the basket past Miami Heat center Joel Anthony (50) during the second half in game six of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

4:18- LeBron finally attacks the basket with Roy Hibbert in the game and gets called for a curious offensive foul. LeBron sprints the length of the court and shatters the 30 meter dash record in the process, but gets hit with a technical to nobody’s surprise. The camera catches Pat Riley with either a “Crap, I’ve got to get out of here before LeBron bolts to Cleveland next summer” or “Crap, Dwyane and Chris are slaughtering their trade value right now” look on his face. I can’t decide which one it is. It’s high quality comedy though. At this moment, the game is effectively over. Let’s recap what just went down.

The Pacers end up winning 91-77 and frankly it didn’t feel that close. Paul George was the best player on the basketball court (28 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals), and despite little mention in the running diary, Roy Hibbert wasn’t far behind (24 points and 11 rebounds). LeBron James was typical LeBron James (29 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), which was supposed to be enough for Miami to have success in the playoffs. Here’s the catch. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 15 points and 6 rebounds on 4 for 19 shooting.

Game 7 is Monday night. Indiana is in prime position to make their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. They have the defending champs on the ropes and have turned them into a one man team. In Game 7 LeBron needs to be superhuman and the Wade/Bosh tandem needs to be more than just the Miami Heat version of Wally Szczerbiak and Joe Smith. Is that too much to ask?

This is her story:

She didn’t believe it when her friend called earlier in the day.

Tickets to Game 4? And they were courtside?!?

Of course she was interested in going. It’s not every day your team is in the Conference Finals and you have the ability to go. Plus, courtside seats? It doesn’t get any better than that.

Work dragged on seemingly forever. The last few minutes were excruciating as she watched the clock tick towards 5 o’clock. As soon as the second hand finished its last loop, she bolted from her desk and left for home.

May 28, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Fans cheer as Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) makes a three pointer as the the third quarter ends against the Miami Heat in game four of the Eastern Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

She would only have a few hours to get ready. Her friend was picking her up at 7. It would take a little while to drive to the Fieldhouse – plus they needed time to park and make their way to the seats. And when you have great seats, you want to get there early.

When she got home, she changed out of her work clothes and into her favorite Pacers shirt right away. It was an old, navy blue shirt with the Pacers logo in the middle. It was her lucky shirt; of course she had to wear it to the game. She then got a quick bite to eat and waited anxiously for her friend to arrive. Finally, her friend’s car rolled into the driveway. They were ready to go.

Arriving downtown at the Fieldhouse, the two friends stopped to take in the atmosphere. They strolled about the concourse, stopping to check out the TNT pre-game show. Eventually they made their way to their courtside seats, which were across from the Miami Heat’s bench. On their seats were the night’s giveaway for all fans – gold t-shirts that said “GOLD SWAGGER” in big blue letters across the chest.

She couldn’t believe it. Sure, she had been to Pacers games before, but never a playoff game, and certainly never sitting courtside. It was a first for her friend too, who had won the tickets in a contest on WNDE 1260, the local sports radio station.

It was an amazing atmosphere to take in. After losing Game 3 in a blowout, the fans were ready to cheer their team to a win against the floppers from Miami.

Before the game was even a few minutes old, she was already losing her voice – cheering louder and louder with each basket as the Pacers jumped out to an 11-0 lead. But soon, the Heat would make a run to close the gap. But the Pacers would push it out again, yet only for the Heat to make another run. And so it went like this for the rest of the half – back and forth until the buzzer sounded. When it did, the Pacers found themselves up 48-47.

She was having the time of her life – watching her Pacers battle the Heat, courtside, with her best friend at her side. Her nerves began to kick in as halftime dragged along. She just wanted the game start up again.

And as the 3^rd quarter went along, the game was as close as ever. Nothing was going to be resolved early this night. Of course, by this point her voice was long gone. Even a bottle of water (which was brought to her by a waiter – courtside seats remember) couldn’t help. But a little hoarse voice couldn’t stop her from cheering as loud as she could.

Late in the 3^rd quarter, the Pacers built themselves a little bit of a cushion, taking a 74-70 lead. After a late miss, it looked as though that would be the score when the game entered the 4^th and final quarter. But an offensive foul on LeBron James gave the Pacers the ball and one last shot to score.

The closely contested game wasn’t doing anything to help her nerves. She anxiously looked on as the Pacers continued to hold their own against the mighty Heat. The whole experience had been amazing so far – even better than she could have expected. As the 3^rd quarter winded down, she was happy with the score.

With just 2 seconds on the clock, George Hill looked to inbound the ball across the court from her. She didn’t think there was enough time left. As much as she wanted the Pacers to get an extra bucket here, she wasn’t expecting anything. Just a few feet in front of her and to the right, however, stood the energetic Lance Stephenson. He had something else on his mind.

She screamed for Hill to get the ball in as he drew closer and closer to a 5 second violation. Soon he threw the ball across the court to Stephenson, just a few feet from her. He caught it and let a wild shot fly right away. It went so high in the air and she pictured how amazing it would be if the shot went in. Suddenly, her dream came true. It swished through the net as the buzzer sounded. She went crazy. Her friend went crazy. Heck, the whole arena was wild with excitement.

But all of it was too much too handle. She put her hands on her head in disbelief. And then, without warning her legs gave out. Her knees buckled and she fell to the court, hands still grasping her head. A steward lunged to grab her, saving her from injury. It was all a bit embarrassing – the excitement and nervousness had gotten the best of her.

But after taking a seat and a drink of water, everything was fine. And with her best friend at her side, she watched her Pacers the rest of the way. She was right there standing and screaming as the buzzer sounded, marking a Pacers victory.

Despite her little stumble, it was the best night of her life. A Pacers playoff win in the Conference Finals, all seen from just a few feet away. It was an experience she will never forget – not the seats, not her stumble, and certainly not the shot.

A big reason for the win was the play of their rising star Paul George. He finished with 22 points and 6 assists, including a monster dunk over Chris “Birdman” Andersen.

The dunk was super impressive, but looks even cooler in slow motion. Check out the video below, courtesy of the NBA’s Phantom Camera.

The two teams met last year in the Conference Semifinals, in a series that saw a lot of physical play. The physicality continued right from the get go last night.

In the first quarter, Shane Battier drove to the basket where he found Roy Hibbert waiting. The Pacers’ big man jumped to defend the shot, and in the process took a knee straight to the groin from Battier.

Battier was called for an offensive foul on the play as Hibbert rolled around on the ground in pain.

Earlier today, Hibbert took offense at the play, claiming that Battier “knew what he was doing.”

U can knee or kick me every time u drive 2the rim. Ill be there 2protect the rim. That wasn’t inadvertent. Battier knew what he was doing

— Roy Hibbert (@Hoya2aPacer) May 23, 2013

While I don’t necessarily think Battier tried to hit Hibbert in the groin, he certainly had his knee extended in an unnecessary way. An offensive foul was the correct call, and that should be the end of the matter.

With the Heat leading 92-89 and just under 12 seconds remaining, the Pacers took the ball out of bounds. They gave the ball to Paul George, but after a few seconds, the play was broken. He had to give the ball up, and almost turned the ball over.

He then got the ball back from David West and hit a ridiculous three to tie the game with just 0.7 seconds left.

May 14, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers point guard George Hill (3) and Indiana Pacers power forward David West (21) celebrate after wining the game in game four of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 93-82. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

Later tonight, the Pacers will take on the Knicks in Game 6 of their second round series. With a 3-2 series lead, the Pacers are looking to make their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since the 1999-2000 season.

Looking to help them knock off the Knicks will be point guard George Hill, who just a short while ago, was cleared to play tonight.

BREAKING: The Pacers’ team physicians have cleared George Hill to play in tonight’s game.More details: bit.ly/13x2rsA

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 18, 2013

Hill did not play in Game 5 after suffering a concussion. Without him, the Pacers lost in New York 85-75 in an ugly affair. Hill’s return will be a big boost, as over the course of the series, he has averaged 17.3 points, 4.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game.

Game 6 tips at 8 PM EST. on ESPN.

Green has always been an big time dunker, and this one over Josh Smith will fit in nicely in his highlight reel.

(Thanks to @cjzero for the .gif)

UPDATE:

Here’s video of the dunk. (Thanks to @HPBasketball)

(H/T to @SBNationNBA for the .gif)

April 9, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) and Roy Hibbert celebrate a 20 point come from behind victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Cleveland 99-94. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Hawks, who just tanked to get the sixth seed, and the Indiana Pacers are settling in for the NBA TV special. If you don’t know, one first round series gets relegated to NBA TV, and for the past three to four years, the Atlanta Hawks were sent to NBA TV. This year? We might have them back with one of the best defensive teams in the league. A ton of intrigue in this series. Indiana has this impressive all-around game, while Atlanta works with two of their stars, their blossoming point guard, and an array of role players to help them. Let’s look at each team with a bit more depth.

Indiana Pacers: For much of the season, Indiana has been consistent on the defensive end, finishing first in defensive efficiency. However, they went by it in a 2K13-like fashion. David West is arguably their best player, George Hill is the key on the perimeter, Roy Hibbert changes the court’s dimension with his seven-foot-two size, but Paul George was the All-Star this season for Indiana. The point? The Pacers did it with no star player, and without Danny Granger, claiming the third seed in the East would equal to a pretty solid season. The two things that intrigued me about Indiana’s season is the disappearance (then reappearance) of Roy Hibbert and Lance Stephenson. After getting praise for his success in the playoffs against Miami, Hibbert started the season on a horrible streak, shooting 37% in the month of November and 40% in December. While Hibbert was still making a monstrous defensive impact, he was brutal for them offensively. Since the All-Star break, Hibbert is shooting over 50%, and before this April swoon, his defensive numbers were actually improving.

As for Stephenson, he’s been a pleasant surprise. Moving into the starting lineup at shooting guard, Stephenson has been a solid contributor. He’s been a solid fit defensively, and for the third-year player, he’s been able to fill in some of the spots needed with George moving into a more offensive-heavy role at small forward.

Player To Watch: Paul George (17.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.8 steals, and 53.1 TS%)

George has provided everything and more for the Pacers this season. Thanks to an increased scoring load, his field goal percentage took a slight dip, but with George having the ball in his hands, he’s improved as an overall offensive player, doubling his assist output, and increasing his overall assists percentage. Against Chicago, George will be called upon to score the ball, but he can also double as an effective decoy for West and Hibbert. Thanks to his ability to be an effective rim attacker, George can kick the ball out to an open shooter. Along with attacking the basket, George is also excellent in hand-off situations, allowing him to shoot an easy jumper.

Atlanta Hawks: The Atlanta Hawks, while falling to the sixth seed, were a really good team. The Hawks finished the season 15th in the league in offensive efficiency, 10th in defensive efficiency, and 11th overall. After losing Joe Johnson to a trade, the trio of Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Jeff Teague did well in leading them, while quietly making them fun. All three are phenomenal passers at their positions, and that allowed head coach Larry Drew to play guys like Devin Harris, Kyle Korver, Ivan Johnson, Anthony Tolliver, and John Jenkins. With injuries to Louis Williams and Zaza Pachuilia shortening their rotation, the Hawks battled, and even though they fell to the bottom half of the Eastern Conference bracket, they have the look of a tough playoff team.

The role players will be interesting in this series. Kyle Korver has been the best three-point shooter this season, Ivan Johnson is just a classic bully at the power forward position, Anthony Toliver gives the Hawks a big body who can pull defenders out side of the paint, Devin Harris provides a change of pace off the bench for Atlanta’s offense, and rookie John Jenkins has dabbled as shooter in spot minutes. All five provide different things to this Atlanta team, and if they want to upset a talented Indiana team, they will need to play at their best.

Player To Watch: Jeff Teague (14.6 points, 7.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 54.3 TS%)

The biggest beneficiary of the Joe Johnson departure, the Hawks have trusted Teague with the ball in his hands more. The best thing about Teague is his ability to put it into overdrive in the playoffs. Against Indiana, i think he’ll face his toughest matchup in George Hill. Teague will have to put in effort from outside the arc, but he’ll also need to get pick and rolls going to force Hibbert outside of the basket. Along with Teague as a decoy, I’m curious to see how Atlanta finds him offensively. Again, Horford and Smith are great passers, and off hand-off plays, cuts, and off-screen attempts, Teague can really thrive in this series.

Prediction: Pacers in 5. I originally had Indiana winning the series in seven games. However, the Pacers are the better defensive team, and as I look at Atlanta’s roster, I don’t know who’s going to stop Roy Hibbert in the post. The Hawks have Al Horford, who’s good at scoring and moving the ball around on the perimeter, but Indiana could send David West to most likely dispatch him. Jeff Teague could take a step forward, but George Hill could also neutralize him. Those three concerns, plus Josh Smith long jumpers, and I’ll take Indiana to win in five, moving on to the second round.

It started with Roy Hibbert shoving David Lee, before a crowd formed. Steph Curry was thrown to the ground multiple times, and there was a lot of shoving and pushing from both sides.

There were a few forearm shivers and the melee eventually spilled into the stands, but it doesn’t appear that any punches were thrown.

Roy Hibbert was ejected for his action and Curry, Lee, David West and Klay Thompson all picked up technical fouls.

Check out the video below. (H/T to @cjzero for the video)

Jan 30, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) stands on the free throw line against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana won 98-79. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

The Indiana Pacers play a deliberately poised and well, paced style of basketball. There’s just no better word for it. They move the ball around the key thoughtfully, which can be enjoyable to watch, even for those who prefer fast-breaks. But because this team is longer than it is loose, and bruising more than blazing, the movement can also be messy.

For this reason, the Pacers are tough to play, even for the usually scintillating Miami Heat. Their big bodies, who like playing back to the hoop, are always upright and active. In this way, they actually resemble an eighties Pacers team, anchored by opportunistic big men and supported by strong outside shooting. Rik Smits and Reggie Miller would be proud.

The Indiana half court set requires diligence, with the frontline players jostling for position, raising a hand in the low post or foul line extended, while the outside men pass it around, looking for openings and angles. The ball is routinely lobbed in to the likes of David West, whose bulky shoulders and quick jumpers trouble smaller defenders. Otherwise Paul George and Lance Stephenson sink timely long balls. It’s a comprehensive attack.

But what I like most about the Pacers, is that they slow down high octane outfits like Miami, whose alley-ooping, highlight reel approach has infiltrated so many NBA clubs, even when there’s no surprise to it anymore. Sure, it’s lively basketball and gives ESPN and other broadcasters a spectacle, but like the “pistol” offense that’s swept through pro football, how long will it last? Not even the famed Lakers “Showtime” sparkled forever. 

If there’s a style of play that might upend the Heat’s reign, it might be this more methodical, rebounding-centric, down and dirty approach the Pacers are making their own. Their few highlights—maybe a George fade away from the corner, or a West jump hook—are the sorts of plays that lift a coach from his seat more than the crowd. And that’s okay. The strategy works, even if the pinstripes on Indiana’s jerseys are the fanciest thing about them.

So, if the Pacers meet the Heat again in the playoffs, or Chicago, or New York for that matter, they might be grinding contests, but engrossing nonetheless. Indiana present a genuine threat to any of those aforementioned teams because yes, they’re swarming on defense, but also so burly on offense.

While so many other clubs are content to stall on the perimeter and allow one player to create, the Pacers players turn like the parts of a watch. They revel in their size and inside presence, banging wilfully against barreled chests like that of LeBron James. There’s no fear in this Indiana squad: They’re happy to dent egos, and spur conflict. They hustle, switch, set screens, call for lobs, make cuts for unspectacular lay-ups, and shift to an imbalanced formations. They’re not afraid to fumble the ball, scrap around for it in the paint, or throw themselves at the glass. It’s the sort of basketball that will disrupt slicker opponents, and those teams might be better to quit showboating, and start worrying. 

October 31, 2012; Toronto, ON, CANADA; Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas (17) hangs off the basket after dunking against the Indiana Pacers at the Air Canada Centre. Indiana defeated Toronto 90-88. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-US PRESSWIRE

Home openers are all fun and games… until that point when your team has blown a late 8-point lead and visiting team’s point guard hits a floater in the lane with 2 seconds left to put them up a couple of points. Then it’s infuriating.

I was there at the Air Canada Centre earlier tonight to witness a crowd was completely alive, as the excitement of another fresh Raptors slate began. There were collective cheers and eventually signs as the Raptors do what they’ve typically done in the past, disappoint.

Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of moments last night to be extremely excited about as  Raptors fan and I still have them projected to make the playoffs in the East. However, the Pacers are just a little farther ahead. Here some game and team observations:

• The Pacers won the game, but I have to start with the Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas factors. These additions are literally going to change this franchse. Lowry finished with an impressive team-high 21 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals. He controlled the game for the Raps with his quickness, active on the ball defense and his shooting (6-11 FG, 2-3 3PT, 7-7 FT). He penatrated the lanes, dished and finished with explosiveness. I think there was even room for him to be more aggressive… this is his team now.
• The fans are already in love with Jonas Valanciunas. Even though he had very solid numbers (12 pts, 10 rebs in 23 minutes), perhaps his biggest accomplishment was staying out of foul trouble early, which will be his achillies heel all season. His hustle and solid on the ball defense in the post clearly impressed the crowd. Don’t forget, he’s 20 and will get better each game.
• The Pacers showed why they are the better team and simply had more composure down the stretch and were led by their three best players in Paul George, David West, Roy Hibbert. Indiana weathered a Raptors storm (a 10-point lead) and when tied at 88, George Hill managed to get in the lane and hit a floater with only a couple of seconds left. The Pacers then applied solid defense on the inbound, forcing Andrea Bargnani to take a tough shot.
• David West absolutely dominated in the second half and scored 14 of his game-high 25 points in the 4th quarter. He was making jump shots away from the basket (something West is extremely good at), no matter who was D’ing up on him. Several times, the Raptors left him open around the basket, which he made them pay (12-19 FG).
• Paul George got off early and finished the game with a double double, including 15 rebounds. The Raptors had no answer from him early on. Paul George is going to be a special player in the league and it’s easy to see why so many people have him near the top of their Most Improved Player rankings.
• Toronto also had no matchup for Roy Hibbert. Valanciunas played the most minutes against him, but Hibbert’s length was too much as he got easy buckets in the paint in the first half. His defense (5 blocks) in the second half was key in keeping the game close when the Raptors were gaining momentum. He silenced a rowdy crowd several times.
• Jose Calderon and Alan Anderson got crunch time minutes for the Raps. Calderon had a really nice game with 15 off the bench and made some key threes in the second half, but missed an ill-advised jumper late in the game. Anderson actually got 19 minutes overall.
• To the crowd’s frustration, the refs actually missed some very obvious calls against the Raptors in the game. Several times on Lowry and DeRozan, there was a lot of contact when driving to the basket where there was no call.
• Before the game, DeMar DeRozan addressed the crowd to thank them for the support. He also received a 4-year extension from the team ($38 million), what must have been moments before the game.

Apr 28, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls injured point guard Derrick Rose (1) is helped off the court by medical staff during the fourth quarter in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center. The Bulls won 103-91. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

• DERRICK ROSE, PG, Chicago Bulls
  Last season: 35.3 MPG, 21.8 PPG, 7.9 APG, 23.10 PER
  I get it, listing Derrick Rose as the Bulls’ X-Factor is weak and certainly not my attempt to be labelled a rocket scientist anytime soon. We can claim we believe in the Bulls even without him (record-wise, this checks out to a certain degree), but let’s be honest, they go as far as he takes them. Trying to pin down an exact time at which Rose will make his season debut is anyone’s guess, and trust me there are scattered reports. I’ve heard some say Christmas, some mid-March, others say he’ll miss the entire season and some (though the name escapes me) are saying he’ll be ready for opening night. Take your pick. The bottom line is that Derrick Rose is one of the most important players in the Eastern Conference and league, let alone his own team. So while it seems simple to state this, I’m of the opinion that his team doesn’t even make the playoffs if his return is closer to that mid-March date. Is D-Rose an X-Factor? It’s arguably that he is THE X-Factor. The rocket scientists concur.
• 

  Jan 6, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (17) prior to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. Cleveland defeated Minnesota 98-87. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

  ANDERSON VAREJAO, C, Cleveland Cavaliers
  Last season: 31.4 MPG, 10.8 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 18.93 PER (25 games)
  Kyrie Irving is the Cavs best player, hands down, it’s not even disputable. However, “best” and “important” can sometimes carry different weightings. Anderson Varejao represents the Cavs entire defensive identity. His energy and relentless hustle encapsulate what this young team should try to be on the defensive end. Varejao’s 2011-12 season was over in early February, during which he acculated 14 double-doubles in 25 games. With some extremely young players (Thompson, Samuels, Zeller, Leuer) behind him in the depth chart, the Cavs NEED Varejao to stay on the floor and be that embodiment of defense if they want to contend for a playoff spot in the East. Varejao’s offensive numbers will look even better this season as well, playing a full schedule with Irving running the show.

• 

  Mar. 16, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detroit Pistons guard (3) Rodney Stuckey controls the ball against Phoenix Suns guard (31) Sebastian Telfair at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Pistons 109-101. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

  RODNEY STUCKEY, SG, Detroit Pistons
  Last season: 29.9 MPG, 14.8 PPG, 3.8 APG, 17.62 PER
  When I tell you that the Detroit Pistons backcourt is thin, I’m talking LeAnn Rimes thin. The days of Billups/Hamilton are long gone and now they have Stuckey and Brandon Knight, a second year player, representing the guard situation. Listed on their depth chart right now in the backup roles are the undersized Will Bynum at point guard and rookie Kim English at shooting guard. Scary would be an understatement. Stuckey is the key to this mess. While Greg Monroe will take over as the number one option on offense, Stuckey (with his 5 years of NBA service and slight production drop last season) is the default leader in the backcourt. Even though Brandon Knight improved over the course of his rookie season and will now assume a bigger role in the offense, I think Stuckey has a near obligation to bring his numbers up and better match up with the other premier shooting guards in the league. If not, the Pistons go from bad to worse.

• 

  May 8, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers shooting guard George Hill (3) dribbles the ball against Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson (14) during game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeated Orlando 105-87. Mandatory Credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE

  GEORGE HILL, PG, Indiana Pacers
  Last season: 25.5 MPG, 9.6 PPG, 2.9 APG, 15.77 PER
  Sometimes it simply comes down to the weakest starter being the most important piece of the puzzle. While he’ll replace Darren Collison and split some minutes with newly acquired D.J. Augustin, George Hill is expected to take over starting point guard duties in Indiana. Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, David West and the improving Paul George comprise one of the strongest starting combinations in the league. George Hill is the only question mark, and that could be considered reaching. Historically, Hill has never been a big assist guy (2.5 per game over 24.8 MPG in his career), but that may change this year, given that he will be responsible for being the primary playmaker and the guy with the responsibility to get the ball to the first four scoring options mentioned above. If Hill averages another 25-30 minutes per game, expect his assist number to shoot up. With his added ability to score when necessary and even defend a bit, expect Hill to help push the Pacers deeper into the playoffs.

• 

  April 13, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings (3) during first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

  BRANDON JENNINGS, PG, Milwaukee Bucks
  Last season: 35.3 MPG, 19.1 PPG, 5.5 APG, 18.46 PER
  This is the year that Jennings needs to take the next step, and I’m not talking about scoring. At 19.1 PPG, he’s proven he can score. I wrote earlier that I didn’t think Jennings was an elite point guard, because of his lack of assists and his spotty shot selection, and I completely stand by that. Perhaps a more crucial attribute that Jennings needs to strengthen for his team to succeed is his leadership. He needs to be the catalyst to bring this team together. Between himself and his star backcourt teammate Monta Ellis, scoring the basketball is easy. The Bucks have solid role players but really no real star talent elsewhere on the roster. Jennings needs to facilitate, distribute the basketball and reassess his shot selection. That is what’s going to help this team climb into the playoff picture in the East, not dropping 35 points on 13 for 31 shooting. If he grows, the team grows.

Joe Johnson (35)
Resume: 18.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 35.5 minutes, 125 threes made (8th in league), 45% FG, 39% 3PT, and 85% FT (career best)… Team record in games played: 36-24 (4-2 without)… Playoffs: 17.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 40.5 minutes, 37% FG, 75% FT, 2-4 record… All-Star, 15th in MVP Voting

Luol Deng (34)
Resume: 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists (career best), 1.0 steals, 39.4 minutes (1st in league, career best), 41% FG, 37% 3PT, and 77% FT… Team record in games played: 42-12 (8-4 without)… Playoffs: 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 46% FG, 36% 3PT (career best), 57% FT, 2-4 record… All-Star, 2nd Team All-Defense

Apr 17, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger (33) shoots a jump shot during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

I hope this move doesn’t ruffle any feathers and turn people against me like I’m LeBron James, but I made the executive decision to group Danny Granger, Joe Johnson and Luol Deng together in one post. These are my rankings, so technically I can do whatever I want with them. Remember two weeks ago when I introduced the criteria for this list and made the point that as long as I gave you my reasoning you sort of have to take my word for it? It was basically the same premise as the Declaration of Independence? Well, I’m using those grounds to include these two players together and it’s probably going to happen again, so get used to it. Besides the fact that this is an attempt to cut down on my word count (an attempt that will all but certainly fail), it really does make sense to group together three players who have been forced into playing roles they shouldn’t be required to handle.

In the aforementioned criteria, one of the things I mentioned being important was a player’s role and how well he fit that role. It’s the exact reason why Serge Ibaka would make this top 50 list and Tyreke Evans wouldn’t. Ibaka is the 4^th best player on Oklahoma City, but he is the league’s most destructive help side defender/shot blocker, and as I mentioned before, the current title holder of Greatest Serge of All-Time. You can’t forget that little nugget. When Serge Ibaka is the 4^th best guy on your team, you are in good shape. Evans is the number one perimeter scoring option for the Kings but doesn’t even score 17 points per game. Evans’ role is more important than Ibaka’s, but he doesn’t fit that role nearly as well as he should. Ideally, Evans would end up the 6^th man on a title contender and provide an instant spark off the bench, because he clearly can’t continue to be looked at as the top perimeter scoring option. Along those lines, Luol Deng, Joe Hohnson and Danny Granger have both been miscast in their roles. Danny Granger and Joe Johnson are classic examples of a 2^nd fiddles being forced to be “the man” on a good team, and Luol Deng is suited to be the 2^nd or 3^rd best player on a title contender, but this year was frequently forced to be the number one option with Derrick Rose out a good portion of the year.

July 13, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson addresses the media at a press conference at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Nobody can convince me that Danny Granger or Joe Johnson can be the best player on a title team. You can’t do it. I dare you, try it. As much as I really like the Indiana Pacers (and trust me I like them a whole bunch. I just about wrote off Miami after Indiana went up 2-1 in the 2^nd round), they are not winning an NBA title with Danny Granger leading the way, just like the Hawks weren’t going to with Joe Johnson as their “marquee guy” either. First, look at Granger, who statistically he has been slipping for the last 3 seasons. Is a player who shoots 42% and scores only 19 points per game really going to lead you to a title? I’ll let Vince McMahon answer that one. If you watched the playoffs you didn’t need to know anything about the statistics to see that Granger wasn’t a number one guy. He was never going to close out a game with such cold bloodedness as Kevin Durant did against the Spurs. He most certainly wasn’t going to put up a 40-18-9 game like LeBron James did. Unfortunately, he was on the losing end of that 40-18-9 game.

Isn’t Joe Johnson the same exact player as Danny Granger? Someone who doesn’t even score 20 points per game, but has somehow convinced everyone he is good enough to be the best guy on a title team? The Hawks were hoodwinked when they gave Joe Johnson the biggest contract (6 years, $119 million) of any 2010 Free Agent (a travesty considering LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare’ Stoudemire were all better players at that point than Johnson). One individual was hoodwinked when they were foolish enough to toss a 5^th place MVP vote at Johnson this year. Seemingly, no one has caught on that year after year when Johnson is supposed to shoulder the heavy burden in the postseason he continuously disappears.

In a perfect basketball world Danny Granger and Joe Johnson would be the 2^nd or 3^rd best players on a really good team; a team that could win a championship. That’s why Joe Johnson going to Brooklyn is slightly exciting. If the Nets can get a few more pieces to put around Williams and Johnson they could thrive. A decade ago the story was the same with former Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller. As many great “Miller Time” moments that there have been, Reggie was never good enough as “the man” to win a championship. You have to give credit where credit is due though. The success of Indiana weighed heavily on the success of Danny Granger, and you can’t make that kind of connection with players who don’t matter. As Bill Simmons stated in his 2012 NBA Playoff preview, in Pacers wins Danny Granger averaged 20.5 points on 43.6% shooting. In Pacers losses Granger averaged 15.2 points on 37.2% shooting. That theory checks out. In the playoffs Granger averaged 19.7 points on 41.5% shooting in wins, 13.8 points on 36.8 shooting in losses.

April 15, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng (9) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe (10) during the first quarter at The Palace. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

Funny story: I was talking to my roommate Wes, a Chicago Bulls fan, about the top 50 list and he took a look at it and seemed legitimately surprised that I had put Deng in the top 40. “Wow, my boy Luol Deng in the top 40?” Yes, Luol Deng in the top 40. I couldn’t tell if he didn’t think Deng would necessarily get ranked that high, or if he didn’t really think of Deng as that good of a player. An even funnier story: For about 2 solid weeks when I was first putting together the list (after I had gathered the statistics of about 85 players) I completely forgot about Luol Deng. I double, triple and quadruple checked the list of about 85 to make sure I didn’t leave anyone out, and to my knowledge I didn’t. When it came time to make the list, I simply forgot about him. I didn’t have him included until I saw him at the Summer Olympics battling with a lackluster supporting cast for Great Britain.

This is partly to do with the fact that constructing this list was much more work than I expected it to be. It also has something to do with the fact that for a good portion of the season Luol Deng was forced to be the interim alpha dog for a championship contender. In most cases that puts the player in more of a spot light, but Deng thrives so well in a complementary role he didn’t stand out nearly as much when the expectations were upped. Sure, Chicago got away with it and succeeded without Derrick Rose in the regular season, but it wasn’t strictly because of Deng. Statistically, there was a miniscule difference in Deng’s numbers when Rose was in the lineup compared to when he was out (I actually went through the entire schedule and worked it out, and when I saw that there was virtually no difference I didn’t save the numbers out of frustration for wasting an hour of my time). Chicago succeeded because of great defense and great coaching. I have to give credit where credit is due though. Luol Deng was a worthy all-star this year. He’s one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders and could very easily be the 2^nd or 3^rd best player on an NBA champion. But just like Granger and Johnson, he isn’t a number one guy and never will be.

#33 on the list will be announced on Thursday September 27th.

May 5, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) drives past Orlando Magic power forward Ryan Anderson (33) during the first quarter of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

Roy Hibbert
Resume: 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks (5th in league), 29.8 minutes, 50% FG, and 71% FT… Team record in games played: 41-24 (1-0 without)… Playoffs: 11.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 50% FG, 67% FT, 6-5 record… All-Star

Allow me to say that I spent an absurd amount of time doing this list. I’m not one to brag about my work, but I give myself, a 20 year old college student with a social life, school work and slightly mild addiction to football as well as basketball, a ton of credit for doing this. It wasn’t as easy as just writing down names and just letting them fall into place. It was really time-consuming and arduous work. One of the hardest parts about making this list was after establishing my top 50 guys, putting them in the right order. As my friend Corey Edwards joked, “The only easy one is number one.” In some ways that was true. But one of my toughest rankings believe it or not was Roy Hibbert. Even though Hibbert just cashed in on a four year, $58 million contract, I still wasn’t completely convinced he was a top 50 player. Briefly, I had him outside looking in. As I started doing a little more research, re-watching game highlights and playoff games I had taped, I started moving him up and up and up, until I had him in the mid 30’s, which seemed way too high. Eventually, I said to myself “Here’s a thought, compromise with yourself and put him in the mid 40’s. 44 looks good.” Boom, and that’s where he ended up!

So why exactly was I so down on a center worth $58 million?

• As a 7’2 center, Hibbert averages under 9 rebounds per game. He barely cracked the top 20 (11^th among centers) and was outrebounded by two of my most difficult cuts, Ersan Ilyasova and Marcin Gortat. Explain to me why a starting center that is 86 inches tall is not averaging more than 9 rebounds per game. Wait, actually, I can do that myself…
• On a team that attempted to make their 2^nd round series with Miami a physical one, Hibbert seemingly wanted no part of it. This shouldn’t have been a surprise. Hibbert never really seems to turn it up a notch. He never looks like he has any sort of fire. I guess that is a result of being an avid Pokemon fan as a kid, and trying golf, tennis and piano before realizing “Holy crap, I’m a giant! I should try something out where my height can be a huge advantage and someday make me millions of dollars!”
• He didn’t feast on smaller teams in the playoffs like he should’ve. Take a look at his two postseason matchups: The Orlando Magic, minus Dwight Howard, and the Miami Heat, minus Chris Bosh. So in summary, Roy Hibbert averaged 11 points and 11 rebounds per game against the likes of Ryan Anderson, Glen Davis, Earl Clark, Ronny Turiaf, Joel Anthony, and Udonis Haslem. Come on, man!

After a couple weeks of Hibbert hovering around the toughest cuts list, I decided to move him up. Why?

• His rebound averages are a little skewed based on the fact he doesn’t even average 30 minutes per game. Per 36 minutes, Hibbert averages 10.6 rebounds, which looks a hell of a lot better than 8.8.
• His 19 point, 18 rebound, 5 block explosion in game 3 against the Heat offers a lot of promise for his future… as does the fact that year by year as his minutes have gone up, so have his points, rebounds and blocks.
• He looks a little like Tracy McGrady. I decided that this was a good thing since for a 2 year window McGrady was my favorite player in the game. This was also known as the Dark Ages, which was in-between the eras of MJ and LBJ.
• He got $58 million! That’s a butt load of money! Even though there have been big contract busts in the past, I don’t think Hibbert is a guy who is going to stop improving. In the end, I can think whatever I want about Roy Hibbert because the individuals making those financial decisions likely know a tad bit more about him than I do. I decided to take their word for it.

Well, worry no more Indiana.

Granger found his stroke in Game 3, leading the way for the Pacers with 26 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field (including five three pointers). Indiana easily took Game 3 with a 97-74 victory over the Orlando Magic. The win gives Indiana a 2-1 series advantage.

Box Score

Quick recap: Granger came out hot early, scoring eight of the Pacers first 18 points, after shooting just 14-for-41 from the field in the first two games.  Behind Granger, Indiana took a 23-14 first quarter lead and never looked back. The Magic cut the lead to three in the second quarter, but were never able to get any closer. The Pacers used a 32-17 third quarter to pull away for good.

What it means for Orlando: This is exactly what could not happen for Orlando. The Magic have been blown out in back-to-back games and that Game 1 win now seems like a distant memory. Game 4 is an absolute must-win.

Despite Orlando’s struggles, the play of Glen Davis can not be ignored. He’s playing out of position and has to battle against a great defensive center in Roy Hibbert on every play, and still managed to score 22 points on 10-for-18 shooting. If only some of his teammates could score.

The other player covered in my Game 3 preview, Ryan Anderson, struggled yet again. In Game 3 he only attempted six shots and finished with seven points. For Orlando to get back into this series, they are going to need a big game from Anderson.

Seven. That’s how many fast break points Orlando has in this series. They aren’t the most athletic team in the league, but they need to push the pace and score before Indiana’s big men can set up defensively. This can’t be stressed enough.

What it means for Indiana: And just like that, the Pacers reclaimed home-court advantage.

Outside of Granger, the Pacers also received a very efficient night from Hibbert, who scored 18 points on 8-10 shooting from the field, while also pulling down 10 rebounds. It’s good to see Hibbert finally take advantage of these smaller Orlando defenders.

Where is the bench? This was supposed to be a strength for this team but the bench struggled again tonight, shooting just 6-17 from the field. Indiana can survive with those type of numbers against this Orlando team, but in a round two matchup likely against the Miami Heat? Good luck.

It seems Indiana might have sucked the life out of Orlando. A win in Game 4 will essentially clinch the series. It will be interesting to see how this young team comes out to start the game. Given the wave of momentum they are now riding, my guess is that they will come out strong.