NBA Playoffs 2014: Last-Minute Preview for Game 3 of Eastern Conference Finals

Two games into the Eastern Conference Finals, plenty of question surround both the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. Both have had their fair share of issues, which have cropped up in each of the first two games.

Now, the series shifts to Miami for Game 3.

If NBA fans have learned anything from this year's playoffs, it's that home-court advantage isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra agreed.

"I don't know if the home court really matters right now in the playoffs," he said, per The Associated Press, via ESPN.com. "It's more about your collective disposition, and you're imposing that identity on the other team. I think either team could win home or away."

Whether or not they'll matter in terms of the outcome, the Heat players will be looking to the AmericanAirlines Arena crowd to provide a major boost on Saturday night.

When: Saturday, May 24, at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, Florida

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

One of the biggest topics of discussion coming into Game 3 involves the health of Paul George. He looked like an extra from The Walking Dead in Game 2, especially at the end, which caused many to castigate George for his failure to step up when the Pacers needed him the most.

Of course, his concussion in the fourth quarter helps explain his listlessness in Game 2's dying moments, but even before that, George was really, really bad, at least by his standards.

Some wondered if he'd be ready to go in time for Saturday night.

Indiana announced on Friday that George was medically cleared to play in Game 3:

While that's good news for the Pacers, there is still the matter of George being in a condition to contribute in a big way.

Indiana posted an Instagram video of him knocking down some jumpers in Saturday's shootaround, so at least we know that if Miami defenders give George about 10 feet of space, he'll be fine:

For far too much of the postseason, he's played more like a complementary player rather than a two-time All-Star. Indiana can't afford for George to go anonymous anymore in this series.

However, it may not matter going by the numbers:

Not to be forgotten, though, is that Miami is dealing with problems of its own regarding its star player.

Whether it's fatigue or conserving energy to avoid fatiguing, LeBron James has looked very un-LeBron James-like through the first two games of the series. He turned it on in the fourth quarter of Game 2; otherwise, he's been merely very good instead of great.

His 23.9 points per game scoring average is down from the 30.0 points he was averaging in each of the first two rounds. But that's nothing compared to LeBron's awful defense so far:

He's been bullied around by David West far too much, and that's to say nothing of the moments in which he completely fell asleep and lost his man. For somebody who believes he should be Defensive Player of the Year, James' defensive contributions to the Heat have been embarrassing.

This is still LeBron James we're talking about, so he's one great Game 3 performance away from erasing all of his past indiscretions.

And on the whole, the Heat have been playing really well defensively, getting contributions from everybody. Norris Cole and Chris Andersen in particular were the unsung heroes in Game 2 for their contributions on that end of the floor.

As Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick wrote:

"

They needed others to keep this game in range. They need two complementary pieces to provide combative, consistent play on both ends when it counted. 

They got it in an unlikely combination, a polite churchgoer and an eccentric rebel.

They got it from Cole and Andersen, who were a combined plus-39 in 56 minutes, with 31 of those minutes coming in the second half, including all but the final 29 seconds of the fourth quarter.

"

The way that Cole and Andersen stepped up made you remember that the Heat are more than just their "Big Three."

In addition, you get the sense that Miami has gone much of this postseason without entering into its top gear. The Heat went through the motions in the first two rounds in order to be ready for the Pacers in the conference finals.

Game 2 may have been the turning point. They nearly went down 2-0 in the series, instead coming back to tie it at 1-1 before heading to Miami.

Saturday's matchup will reveal a lot as to how the rest of the series will unfold. Now, the Pacers have to respond, while the Heat can well and truly assert themselves as the dominant team and kings of the Eastern Conference.