NBA Playoffs 2013: Updated Predictions for Eastern Conference Finals

This 2013 Eastern Conference Finals showdown between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers has been nothing short of a bloodbath.

The defending champs claimed the most recent battle in this ongoing war and made a bold statement during Sunday’s 114-96 victory in Indianapolis. It put them up a contest on the challenger and brought home-court advantage back into the fold for Miami.

However, this series could just as easily be at 2-1 in the Pacers’ favor, with LeBron James’ heroics and Frank Vogel’s questionable coaching decisions swinging Game 1 in the Heat’s direction in the waning seconds of overtime.

With up to four games remaining, there’s still plenty of basketball to be waged between these two bitter rivals. Let’s take a look at what could happen over the course of the series and predict which side will emerge from the ashes and make the NBA Finals.

 

Pacers Will Rebound in Game 4

After having their defense dismantled and identity embarrassed by the Heat in Game 3, the Pacers are going to come roaring back to save face and tie this series up in Game 4.

This group is too proud to just roll over after being dominated in all facets of the game and will find a way to effectively limit the Miami bigs, while still containing the two-headed perimeter monster of NBA MVP James and Dwyane Wade.

Indiana has a solid track record of bouncing back after excruciating losses, and there may not have been one more painful for this team this year than Game 3. Remember, the Pacers made it this far on the back of their defense and ability to protect the rim—two areas where they struggled immensely on Sunday.

Roy Hibbert will likely lead the charge, as he and the rest of Indy’s lengthy frontcourt will be looking to put a body on every Heat rebounder and making the proper rotations to keep their bigs from getting easy buckets.

Once they accomplish that and slow the pace down, expect the rest of the pieces to fall into place. Vogel will probably have the team execute its efficient offense from the inside out, basically employing the same strategy that locked up Game 2’s victory.

LeBron James Will Outduel Paul George

Paul George dropped 27 points in Game 1 and 22 more in Game 2 while mostly defending King James on the perimeter, proving that he’s a multi-dimensional player on the cusp of making the leap to superstardom.

As impressive as those performances are, it would be foolish to think that the third-year man out of Fresno State will be able to outduel the world’s best basketball player in a best-of-seven.

James showed that on Sunday, as he helped hold George to just 13 points while dropping in 22 of his own and opening up numerous opportunities for his teammates. Factor in James' 66 points over the first two games of the series and you are looking at a player that simply can’t be held in check.

While George has been great, James has been better and will continue to be for the duration of this series.

 

Miami Heat Will Advance to NBA Finals

Despite fierce opposition from a feisty team of veterans, the Heat will eventually surpass the Pacers and make their third-straight NBA Finals appearance.

Indiana will likely take Game 4 and may possibly even force Game 7 if it can steal Game 5 in South Beach or hold steady at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Game 6, but ultimately Miami has too many weapons to fail.

When you have three of the best players in the league going up against a squad that is missing one of its leaders, defensive options and arguably its overall former best player in Danny Granger, it’s just not a fair fight.

While Granger isn’t a superstar that could single-handedly beat the Heat, his three-point firepower, defensive length and basketball I.Q. would have greatly helped the Pacers in this matchup.

We’ve seen and will see plenty more valiant efforts from George, Hibbert, Paul George, David West, Lance Stephenson and the rest of this tight-knit group, but their talent level is ultimately just below the gold standard Miami has set in the NBA.

If this Pacers group can stay together for the next few years and stay fully healthy in the playoffs, it’ll be a serious threat to challenge the Heat’s supremacy, but it’s just not Indiana's year in 2013.