NBA Playoffs 2012: Miami Heat Control 2nd Half, Take 1-0 Lead over Pacers

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade dominated, as the Miami Heat protected home court and beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. 

The Pacers started off the game hot and were up 11-4 at the 7:22 mark in the first quarter. The quick start was ignited by starting point guard George Hill, who scored seven of the team's first 11 points. 

The quick start from the Pacers may have surprised the Heat, and the opening stretch sent a message to the rest of the NBA that the Pacers will not go down quietly. 

The Pacers came out running the floor early and attempted to shoot the ball from three, but they were rather unsuccessful. They will need to shoot the three-pointer better than they did in Game 1, as they shot just 23.5 percent from long range. 

Roy Hibbert, the Pacers' starting center, proved to be absolutely crucial in the first half of Game 1. In the first half, Hibbert clogged up the lane and made it difficult for the Heat players to get solid looks in the paint. 

The Heat found success against Hibbert when they used Bosh to draw Hibbert from the paint. This created more room inside, and this allowed Wade to start dictating the game on the offensive end of the floor. 

Chris Bosh had an excellent first half, but he had to leave the game before the half due to an abdomen injury. 

He got injured when he was fouled by Roy Hibbert during a slam dunk in the second quarter. Up to that point, Bosh had contributed 16 points and five rebounds, and it appeared that the Heat would really miss him in the second half.

However, this turned out not to be the case, as the Heat outscored the Pacers by 15 points in the second half. 

The play of James and Wade is the reason the Heat outclassed the Pacers in the second half, although the foul trouble the Pacers were in didn't help visiting team. 

The Heat were successful at getting to the free-throw line, and Wade was the man who led that attack.

Wade got to the charity stripe 14 times and missed only one attempt. His ability to get into the lane allowed him to pace the Heat attack for much of the second and third quarter. He finished the game with 29 points and only James outscored him. 

James scored 32 points, hauled in 15 rebounds and collected his third NBA MVP award prior to tip-off. James may have struggled from the floor—he shot 12-of-26 from the field—but overall, this was a great day for James.

James and Wade elevated their games when Bosh was pronounced unable to return to the game. 

At the 8:46 mark in the fourth quarter, Wade and James had scored more points than the entire Pacers team. The duo didn't stop there, though, as they never let the Pacers tie the game up. 

The Pacers struggled with foul trouble throughout the entire game.  Hibbert and Hill were in serious foul trouble all game long, although starting shooting guard Paul George was the only one to actually foul out. 

The Pacers' bench did an admirable job in the first half, scoring 17 of the team's first 34 points. The attack off the bench was led by Tyler Hansborough, shooting guard Leonardo Barbosa and former starting point guard Darren Collison. The trio combined to score 27 points, but that wasn't enough to get the Pacers the win.

If the Pacers hope to give Miami a run in this series, then they must be able to stay out of foul trouble. When Hibbert was off the court, James and Wade got to the basket easier and controlled the game.

The Pacers' front court, consisting of David West and Hibbert, was dominant when on the floor together. The two combined for 24 points in the loss, and the Pacers will need them to produce like that every game in this series. 

West represents an advantage for the Pacers, as Udonis Haslem should have a difficult time guarding him. 

This series will come down to the Pacers staying out of foul trouble while still dominating the paint with their superior frontcourt. 

In Game 1, the Pacers proved that they would not simply roll over against the Big Three of the Heat. If Bosh misses any time due to the injury he suffered, then the Pacers must take advantage of that opportunity to steal a game. 

The Heat have gained the momentum as we head to Game 2, but don't expect to the Pacers to go quietly into the offseason.