Despite shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, the Miami Heat fell to the Indiana Pacers and moved down one spot to eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
The (then) No. 7 Miami Heat and No. 5 Indiana Pacers both made it clear on Sunday that they know how close standings are in the Eastern Conference.
However, the Pacers had a playoff birth at stake.
Knowing that, the Heat fell to the Pacers 113-107 in an overtime thriller. Tyler Johnson led the Heat with 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from downtown, while also dishing four assists.
Sunday’s game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse was the Heat’s fourth and final matchup against the Pacers this season, ending the series 2-2.
Hassan Whiteside (hip) and head coach Erik Spoelstra (in Miami for the birth of his first child) were both absent from the game against the Pacers, with assistant coach Dan Craig taking Spoelstra’s place.
First half: Successes in the first quarter turn into struggles in the second
Despite the coaching change-up and absence of a starter, the Heat started out strong in the first quarter. Johnson was 4-for-4 from 3-point range in the first, tying a career-high for 3’s made in a quarter. The Heat ended the first with a 30-21 lead, on 63 percent shooting.
However, in the second, the Pacers began to play to their strengths. As the No. 2 team in the league in points off of turnovers, the Pacers attacked when the Heat slipped up. At halftime, the Heat had 10 turnovers, while 12 of the Pacers points came off of nine of those.
The Heat’s once 14-point lead became just a one-point lead at the half, with a score of 53-52. Bam Adebayo helped the Heat stay close, as he scored 10 of the Heat’s 23 points in the second.
Second half: Pacers make run late in the third quarter but Heat regain control in fourth
After scoring just six points in the first half, Thaddeus Young scored 12 for the Pacers in the third quarter. While the Heat continued to not execute well on either end of the floor, the Pacers were able to go on a 9-2 run to end the third quarter with an 82-74 lead.
In the fourth, the Heat regained energy and continued making 3’s. With about five minutes left in the game, James Johnson hit one to give the Heat their first lead of the quarter.
The last five minutes were chaos as the Heat went on a 10-3 run, while the Pacers answered back. Regulation ended with the two teams at 96 points each.
Overtime: Pacers execute
The Pacers continued to take advantage of whatever they could in overtime, after struggling with turnovers in the fourth quarter. Victor Oladipo made a 3 with 1:21 that stole the game for the Pacers. Oladipo led the Pacers with 23 points.
Next: Miami Heat's end of season outlook hinges on tiebreakers
The now 39-35 Heat sit a half game behind the Milwaukee Bucks and will look to regain the seventh spot in the East when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 27.