The Miami Heat do not intimidate the Indiana Pacers. That much was very, very clear in their matchup Wednesday night.
But you know what intimidates the Pacers? The moment.
We saw it last year in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals when they looked like deer in the headlights. And we saw it again Wednesday night when George Hill went to the line with 1.8 seconds left and a chance to put Indiana ahead by 3 – and promptly missed both free throws.
My biggest question regarding the Pacers is whether they have the moxie and confidence to get the job done in a winner-take-all game.
And we already know that the Heat possess those characteristics.
More on that subject, plus a spirited defense of the Philadelphia 76ers, in this interview on 1070-TheFan with Michael O’Grady and Joe Staysniak on “The Grady & Big Joe Show” in Indianapolis.