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THIS AND THAT

Pacers coach Frank Vogel said when the Heat plays a small lineup – with only one natural power rotation player and James at power forward – “you’ve got to pound it inside. But even when they’re small, they defend the same way. They have different lineups that are sometimes more effective than the lineup with Bosh in it.”

Spoelstra went with that smaller lineup – with one natural power rotation player (usually Joel Anthony) – for all of the fourth quarter Sunday.

• A day after shooting 1 for 10, Danny Granger said he expects coaches to find creative ways to get him the ball in better places. “It’s not brain surgery,” Granger said. Vogel said, “The plan was not for him to get 10 shots. Miami is probably the best in the business at taking away your first option. He’s got to probably be a little more assertive.”

• Pacers president Larry Bird told reporters that James “is just spectacular. He’s our best player in the league. With his body, his skill, his ability to get out and run and jump, I don’t think we’ve quite seen anybody play his position who can do what he does. … He took Granger completely out of everything he wanted to do.”

• Granger reiterated the Pacers “have to make [James and Wade] play defense.” Vogel didn’t dispute that, but added, “It’s impossible to wear those two guys down. They could play 48 straight minutes two games in a row and not be worn down.”

• Vogel called Haslem, Anthony and Ronny Turiaf “three of the best dirty work guys in the business.”

• The Pacers committed 31 fouls in Game 1, compared to Miami’s 22. But Vogel said, “The officiating didn’t beat us in Game 1. The Miami Heat beat us.”

The Miami Herald

BY BARRY JACKSON
BJACKSON@MIAMIHERALD.COM

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Miami Heat’s Udonis Haslem noticeably absent in recent fourth quarters

During key fourth-quarter moments, Udonis Haslem usually is more likely to be on the floor than any Heat player excluding the Big 3.

But Haslem, an asset as a rebounder and defender, has not played at all in each of the past two fourth quarters and has not snapped out of his puzzling seasonlong shooting slump.

Now, with Chris Bosh likely out for a while, there’s an even greater burden on Haslem, who’s averaging 3.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and shooting 31.8 percent (7 for 22) in the playoffs.

He went 0 for 4 from the field, with five rebounds, in 22 minutes in Game 1 against Indiana.

“I can’t judge myself on how I’m playing on offense,” Haslem said.

“The way I look at the game is how I’m doing on the boards and how I do defensively. On the boards, I led us in rebounds per minute last series, and I intend to do the same this series.”

One of the great mysteries of this Heat season has been the decline in Haslem’s shooting percentage to 42.3, well below his 49.4 career average.

Coach Erik Spoelstra said he has no explanation. “All I know is he has [made shots] in big moments,” Spoelstra said.

Haslem said he doesn’t need to score more in Bosh’s absence: “The other guys, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, will pick up the scoring load, so I’ll focus on the energy and rebounding part.”

Asked about not playing in the past two fourth quarters, Haslem said, “I want to be out there, but guys have been getting it done in the fourth quarter.”

Spoelstra said “all options are open” when asked whether he has considered moving Haslem to the bench and starting James at power forward. But James said, “I don’t think I’ll be starting at power forward.”

• The Heat is 4-5 without Bosh this season and 7-7 without him since the Big 3 came together.

BY BARRY JACKSON, The Miami Herald
BJACKSON@MIAMIHERALD.COM

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Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade willing to cede spotlight to new MVP LeBron James

The quiet, under-recognized lynchpin of this Heat season and its championship direction has been the ability – but first the willingness – of Dwyane Wade to step aside for the first time in his Miami career and let this team be LeBron James’.

For the first time in his NBA life Wade understands and accepts he is not the best player on his team.

He has acted accordingly with such seamless grace that the evolution has gone with little notice or remark, but it has been profound in its way.

This is Wade, sacrificing, setting aside ego, demonstrating that team trumps self.

This is Wade, proving to all doubters that his friendship with James is bona fide, because only genuine mutual respect allows this to happen.

And this would not be happening – Miami appearing title-bound as the playoffs’ second round vs. Indiana begins here Sunday – without the team harmony at the top that emits from Wade’s attitude.

This would not be working if Wade had an ego that wouldn’t quit, if he were a spotlight-demanding diva who, Carmelo-esque, needed his 25 shots a game.

This would not be working if Wade did not have a keen sense of self, if he could not look in the mirror with the ability to see himself at age 30 and place that in the context of James.

The toughest thing in sports for an aging superstar accustomed to nothing but compliments is to suddenly become comfortable with a complementary role. Many cannot. Wade is discovering he can.

When James is on the free-throw line in Miami the “M-V-P!” chants begin, and as Wade hears them there are two ways he might react:

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BY GREG COTE
GCOTE@MIAMIHERALD.COM

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Heat regroup, heading to take on confident Pacers

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were not carrying ”Help Wanted” signs around the Miami Heat practice floor on Wednesday. The mood was not grim, voices were not hushed and scowls were not prominent.

The way the Heat see it, their series with Indiana begins anew Thursday night. And the Pacers sound like they agree.

Indiana will play host to Miami in Game 3, after grabbing home-court advantage away from the reigning East champs with a 78-75 win Tuesday in perhaps the most offensively baffling night in Heat history – when, for the first time in the franchise’s 24 years of existence, only two players scored more than five points in a game.

Just about everyone wearing Heat colors struggled, and James and Wade both misfired on key chances in the final moments.

The Pacers were hardly scoring juggernauts either. Still, Indiana was good enough to knot the series, and head home with even more confidence than the ample amount they brought to the start of the matchup.

”Our goal is not to come in here and try to put up a good fight or whatever,” Pacers forward David West said in Indianapolis on Wednesday. ”We’re trying to win the series. We’re competing to win the series.”

The Pacers got everything they wanted in Game 2.

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By TIM REYNOLDS | The Associated Press

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Chris Bosh Injury Could Be a Blessing in Disguise for Miami Heat Moving Forward

For all the flack Chris Bosh has had to endure since migrating to South Beach, it would be silly to insinuate the Miami Heat are a better team without him.

I’m not.

Nevertheless, the heightened state of injury-paranoia the NBA currently finds itself in has people strapping themselves to a heart monitor anytime a player so much as coughs.

Now, as much as I enjoyed yesterday, I could really do without a league full of Jewish mothers. Lord knows the human heart isn’t equipped to deal with that much guilt.

So allow me to be the voice of reason here before people start holding a vigil for Miami’s season.

The Heat are still at the top of the totem pole and may actually be better off today than you initially thought.

Let me tell you why.

First of all, Chris Bosh suffered an abdominal strain.

Now I’m not a doctor, nor do I watch any on the crappy TV shows which feature them, but I suspect we’ll see the guy again in the playoffs.

Secondly, it’s only the second round, and Miami didn’t just prove in Game 1 that they could beat the Indiana Pacers without him, they actually seemed rejuvenated because of it.

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By David Weiss (Correspondent)

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Chris Bosh’s injury casts doubt on Miami Heat’s championship aspirations

Remember what appeared in this space less than two weeks ago concerning the only opponents – boredom, complacency and expectations – left that could knock off the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference playoffs?

Unfortunately, one obstacle was overlooked:

“Injury to one of the Big Three. Even if it’s the least prominent of the Big Three.”

Apparently, the Heat were immunized against the injury plague running through the NBA playoffs. Wrong.

Chris Bosh caught the bug Sunday in Game 1 of the East semifinals. The verdict, such as it is, came down just before noon Monday: an MRI revealed a strained abdominal muscle, and Bosh is out indefinitely.

Know what else is now “indefinite”? The Heat’s spot in the NBA Finals.

The conference finals? That shouldn’t be a problem. Sorry, Indiana Pacers faithful. It’s not your fault you’re not quite at the level at which you can beat even a depleted team of that caliber.

It happened to be a top-heavy conference this season, and the Pacers, as improved and dangerous as they were, are on the wrong side of the dividing line.

Forget having any one player as good as either LeBron James and Dwyane Wade – and definitely forget having two. The Pacers could use a player as good, consistent, productive and dangerous as Bosh. Not this year.

And that brings us to the Heat’s problem beyond this round. The world is about to get a harsh lesson on how badly it’s been underestimating and undervaluing Chris Bosh the last couple of seasons.

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David Steele
AOL FanHouse Columnist

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Why Miami Heat Will Cruise into Conference Finals Despite Chris Bosh’s Injury

The Miami Heat got a bit of bad news on Monday when they found out that All-Star forward Chris Bosh would be out indefinitely with an abdominal strain.

But it’s not the end of the road on their quest for a championship.

On paper, that’s terrible news for the Heat, who will be without the 18.0 points and 7.9 rebounds that Bosh averaged per game.

But even without the services of the seven time All-Star, the Heat should be able to make their way into the conference finals rather easily.

That is, as long as they rebound the ball in Bosh’s absence.

With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade playing at a very high level, the Heat should still be able to get past the Indiana Pacers as long as they crash the glass.

That’s no easy chore considering the Pacers’ advantage on the glass—even with Bosh in the lineup. But behind a huge effort on the boards from James, Miami out-rebounded Indiana 45-38 in a Game 1 victory.

LeBron has been playing with a chip on his shoulder, and as long as the Heat remain committed to playing at the defensive end of the floor, they have enough offense to get by.

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By Matt Shetler (Featured Columnist)

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NBA Playoffs 2012: Miami Heat Still Title Favorites If Chris Bosh Can’t Play?

Whether it’s because of the lockout shortened season, increased physical play or just consistent bad luck, there seems to have been an extreme rate of injuries in the NBA in 2012.

Players such as Al Horford, LaMarcus Aldridge, Jeremy Lin and Ricky Rubio are just some of the examples of key players who got injured during the season and affected their teams playoff chances or positioning.

Then there are the injuries to superstar players Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard who saw their teams fall in the first round of the playoffs without their services.

Now it is time to add another name to the list of star players who were injured this year. Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Miami Heat All-Star forward Chris Bosh is out indefinitely with a strained abdominal.

It is unclear how much time Bosh will miss, but he is at least expected to miss the rest of the conference semifinals, and it is unsure if he will be able to return after that – if the Heat are able to win their series against the Indiana Pacers.

Bosh averaged 18 points and eight rebounds per game during the regular season and is obviously a huge part of a Miami team who lacks front-line depth.

Bosh has taken a ton of criticism for his perceived “soft” play since coming to Miami, but the fact is he has produced on a consistent basis and was great for the Heat during their run to the finals in last year’s playoffs.

Miami went just 4-5 without Bosh in the lineup during the regular season this year. With him in the lineup they averaged nearly 100 points per game, but without Bosh they scored barely over 87 a contest.

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By Ross Bentley (Analyst)

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Building Miami Heat no easy task for Pat Riley

Contrary to the opinion of Pacers center Roy Hibbert, the Heat did work hard to build its current team, said Heat president Pat Riley on Saturday.

During a rare interview session with writers who cover the Heat, Riley opened up about a number of topics following LeBron James’ award ceremony at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Among Riley’s comments was a subtle counterpoint to Hibbert’s jab at the Heat, which intimated Miami found success by “signing a couple of superstars.”

“Contrary to someone’s opinion, we worked very hard to maintain the cap space and build a team through free agency,” Riley said.

“So, it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t easy to get LeBron [James] and get Chris [Bosh] to come. It was very hard work.”

After defeating the Orlando Magic in five games in the first round, Hibbert took a shot at the Heat about how the team was constructed.

“We didn’t do this the easy way,” Hibbert said.

“It took time. But Larry Bird and [general manager] David Morway drafted well. We got [David] West. We got George Hill, Leandro [Barbosa] and Lou [Amundson] for almost nothing. We didn’t do this by signing a couple of superstars.”

The Heat begins its second-round series against the Pacers at 3:30?p.m. on Sunday.

Aside from countering Hibbert with an unprompted rebuttal, Riley fielded questions about the James’ place in history, Dwyane Wade’s acceptance of James as co-leader and the Heat’s chances of winning the NBA title.

“We got a shot,” Riley said. “That’s it. That’s all you want. Every year you want to have a shot and be able to be in the game. And so, we’re in the game. And I think we’ll be in the game for a long time with these players.”

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BY JOSEPH GOODMAN
JGOODMAN@MIAMIHERALD.COM

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Adversity will test the Miami Heat with Chris Bosh’s absence

When it comes right down to it, something big enough to consume an entire city – a franchise’s well-laid plans, a team’s championship dream, the hopes of a million fans – stands fragile on porcelain legs.

Everything is breakable, separated from collapse by dumb luck or whatever mood fate happens to be in.

The difference between a thoroughbred racing to glory or writhing in the dirt can be the snap of one astonishingly frail limb. Every team is a locomotive running on glass rails.

Nobody feels sorry for the Heat. Start there. Outside of Miami’s fans no one is lamenting that the favorites to win the NBA title suddenly are without Chris Bosh “indefinitely” – probably at least for the rest of this second-round playoff series with Indiana continuing with Game 2 on Tuesday night.

“The season has to be extended for me to play again,” said Bosh, all but confirming he would not be ready until the conference finals, if then.

They surely don’t feel sorry for the Heat in Chicago, where Derrick Rose’s knee injury turned the Bulls into the china shop, with everything shattered.

Doubt they feel too badly in Orlando, either, where the Magic disappeared the moment Dwight Howard needed back surgery.

Miami has been lucky until now, healthy in the playoffs while the Rose and Howard injuries appeared to clear the Heat’s path back to the NBA Finals.

Even in the first round, Miami benefited from the New York Knicks losing three starters to injuries for at least some of that series.

Now the Heat must do more to earn what everybody thought would come so easily. Maybe that isn’t a bad thing.

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BY GREG COTE
GCOTE@MIAMIHERALD.COM

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