Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
INDIANAPOLIS - The Pacers showed plenty of rust from an 11-day layoff, but still had more than enough to beat the weary Heat.
The Pacers rebounded from a sluggish start with a 26-5 run spanning the the second and third quarters that propelled them to a 94-81 victory Thursday night in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.
Ron Artest, who missed the morning shootaround because of a migraine, had 25 points and six rebounds for the Pacers. Indiana had not played since wrapping up its first-round sweep of Boston on April 25.
The long break showed early, with the Pacers committing 10 turnovers in the first half and struggling to execute their offense much of the game. Just two days removed from finishing a grueling seven-game series against New Orleans, the Heat did not have the energy to capitalize.
Miami shot 38 percent from the field, missing countless layups and coming up short on jumpers. Rookie Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 22 points and seven rebounds.
The Heat didn't go quietly, closing the third quarter with a 7-2 run, and Wade got hot in the fourth to help Miami chip away at the lead. His acrobatic drive with 4:32 left made it 82-74, but Reggie Miller hit a 3 a minute later for a 13-point lead that put the game out of reach.
It was Indiana's 10th straight win over the Heat and fourth in a row this season.