Heat Vs. Pacers: Complete Eastern Semifinals Series Coverage

Erik Spoelstra Fined $25,000 For Criticizing Refs

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was critical of the officiating in the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Indiana Pacers. He's been fined by the NBA for his comments.

The Empire Strikes Back: Dwyane Wade And The Heat Aren't Going Away

Dwyane Wade and the Heat exploded on the Pacers in Game 6 and left the home team looking helpless. One week after we left them for dead, Miami looks as scary as ever. And that's a good thing.

Pacers Vs. Heat, 2012 NBA Playoffs Game 6: Final Score, Heat Pull Away 105-93

Indiana tested, but when it came down to it, Miami's superstar power was more than the Pacers could handle, as the Heat won a contentious series in six games.

The Heat kept the lead at roughly ten for most of the second half after an initial spurt to start the third quarter. Dwyane Wade kept up his ridiculous play from the first half, finishing on a variety of absurd drives to the hoop, and ending up with 41 points. LeBron James predictably turned up the heat after a quiet first half, finishing with 28. In addition, Mario Chalmers' shooting provided a boost, as the point guard nailed three threes to finish with 15.

At the end of the day, the Heat were just too good for Indiana. They might have been Boshless, but LeBron and D-Wade are two of the five best players in the league in literally everybody's book, and they played like it the past two games, which was too much for Indiana to recover from. The pair scored the team's final 17 points to ice the game in the closing minutes.

It was a good season for the Pacers, and it's unfortunate that it had to end in the hands of a Flying Death Machine like Miami.

For more information on the Miami Heat, check out Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Indiana Pacers, head over to Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana.

Pacers' Issue Is Guard Play, Not Soft Play

The Indiana Pacers' general manager called his team "soft" after a blowout loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5, but that's not the real problem with this squad.

Heat Vs. Pacers, 2012 NBA Playoffs Game 5: Miami Picks Up 115-83 Victory For 3-2 Series Lead

The Miami Heat lead the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, three games to two, following a 115-83 victory Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Pacers had no answer for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and failed to overcome poor shooting throughout the game.

LeBron James led the Heat's offensive effort with 30 points and nearly finished the game with a triple-double, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing the ball out for eight assists. Dwyane Wade followed with 28 points while Mario Chalmers contributed with 11 rebounds.

The Heat won the rebounding battle, 49-35, and the shooting game, 61.4 percent to 33.7.

Paul George led the Pacers with 11 points while Danny Granger and David West each chipped in 10 points. No other Pacers player scored more than eight points, allowing the points to be spread throughout the bench. But that spread the ball around and allowed the team to make just 30 of 89 shots.

This series continues Thursday in Indiana. ESPN will have the broadcast at 8:00 p.m. ET

For more on the Miami Heat, check out Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. To stay up-to-date on the Indiana Pacers, head over to Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana.

VIDEO: Dexter Pittman Delivers Elbow To Lance Stephenson's Throat

Indiana Pacers benchwarmer Lance Stephenson bothered the Miami Heat players after he gave LeBron James the choke signal during the Pacers' Game 3 win. It took two games, but it looks like the Heat have gotten their revenge, all thanks to a very dirty play by backup center Dexter Pittman.

With the game decided in the final minutes, Stephenson came down the lane to grab a rebound. Pittman responded by blatantly sticking his elbow out, catching Stephenson right in the throat.

That play is reminiscent of the elbow Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum delivered to J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Lakers' four-game loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Bynum received a five-game suspension for that one.

Pittman may receive fewer games simply because the games he'd miss are in the playoffs and not the regular season, but that play was just as bad as Bynum's, if not worse. I'd expect a major suspension.

For more information on the Miami Heat, check out Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Indiana Pacers, head over to Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana.

Heat Vs. Pacers: Keys To Game 5

NBA Playoffs 2012, Heat Vs. Pacers Game 5: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Indiana Pacers will return to South Beach on Tuesday and try to reclaim a series lead over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinal. The best-of-seven series is tied, 2-2.

Erik Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade Come From 'Place Of Purity,' Are Cool

NBA Playoffs 2012, Pacers Vs. Heat Game 4: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Miami Heat are down 2-1 in their series against the Indiana Pacers heading into Sunday's Game 4 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Dwyane Wade is still dealing with lingering leg pain coming off a five-point performance in Game 3.

When Dwyane Wade Lost His Cool

Dwyane Wade had the worst playoff game of his career in Game 3 against the Pacers, and the Heat stumbled to their second-straight playoff loss without Chris Bosh. But that's only part of where things have gone wrong.

On Dwyane Wade, Flagrant Rules And Whether Any Foul Is Truly Necessary

Given the suspensions that have been handed out previously for similar hard fouls, it's difficult to understand how the NBA could have decided to eschew any further punishment for Dwyane Wade after his Game 2 hit on Darren Collison.

NBA Playoffs 2012, Pacers Vs. Heat Game 3: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Heat and Pacers will meet in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Thursday.

For The Miami Heat, No Chris Bosh Means Big Problems

The Miami Heat lost Game 2 against the Pacers Tuesday, and with Chris Bosh's injury keeping him out indefinitely, the struggles for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade may not end there.

NBA Playoffs 2012, Heat Vs. Pacers Game 2: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Miami Heat likely have to deal with the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Tuesday night without Chris Bosh.

Pacers Lose To Heat, Indianapolis Columnist Calls Out Entire Team

The Indiana Pacers looked like they might have a chance of upsetting the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon, but it was obviously not meant to be as LeBron James took over in the final stanza to give his Heat the Game 1 victory. The Pacers had their chances, though, and one local writer wasn't afraid to point that fact out in his Monday morning column.

The Indianapolis Star's Bob Kravitz wasn't happy with the Pacers' attitude following the game and, in a surprising move, he decided to go in pretty hard on his home team. Frank Vogel and his Indiana team set up a compelling narrative -- and his team stuck to it following the Game 1 loss -- but Kravitz wasn't having any of it.

After the game, Pacers guard George Hill was checking out the final score sheet, so I asked him if anything jumped out at him that would explain this loss.

"No comment," he said.

Then he commented.

"Y'all know,'' he said, clearly referring to the 38-28 free-throw disparity. "We know. Everybody knows. The world knows. But sometimes it's better left unsaid."

Mr. Hill, Mr. Stern on line 1.

Was there a free-throw-attempt and free-throw-make disparity? Obviously. Are guys like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade going to get calls that Paul George and Darren Collison aren't going to get? Obviously. Did it hurt the Pacers to have so many players in early foul trouble? Obviously.

Deal with it. Losers whine. And then they go home for the summer. Don't be that fan base. Don't be that city.

Kravitz went on to call out the following parties: Danny Granger and Paul George for their lack of scoring, the Pacers big men for not taking advantage of the Chris Bosh injury, George Hill for picking up a charge call, free-throw shooting and rebounding just to make sure the entire team felt the wrath of his column.

It's an interesting strategy from the home team's columnist and, even though he made some valid points, it'll be interesting to see what sort of response he receives for the remainder of the series. If a "no comment" quote generates this type of vitriol, it'll be interesting to see what happens if the Pacers open their mouths any further.

For more on the Pacers, head over to Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana. For more on the Heat, check out Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

How Dare LeBron James Be Needed To Thrive In The Fourth Quarter?

Chris Bosh's Injury, And Why The Heat Might Be In Big Trouble

The Heat won Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, but if they lose Chris Bosh for an extended period of time, they're in big trouble.

Pacers Vs. Heat, 2012 NBA Playoffs: LeBron James And Dwyane Wade Lead Second-Half Romp, Miami Wins 95-86

Not many people gave the Indiana Pacers much of a chance against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, especially in Miami, where the Heat compiled the NBA's best home record this season. When the Pacers came out hot in the first quarter of Game 1, few thought they could sustain it. They were winning at the half, and kept it close all game long. Unfortunately for the Pacers faithful, the Heat took their best shot and still won, 95-86.

The Heat played the second half without Chris Bosh, who left with a lower abdominal injury, but it didn't matter because Joel Anthony. Also, there are these two players named LeBron James and Dwyane Wade who seem to be pretty decent. James was presented with his third MVP award before tip, and answered with a performance that showed exactly why he was the runaway winner. He finished with 32 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and just one turnover. He made made clutch play after clutch play down the stretch, including a game-icing jumper to make it 95-86 with 31.5 seconds left. Wade was also brilliant, and he finished with 29 points and one ridiculous block.

The Pacers came out firing, as previously mentioned, especially Roy Hibbert and David West. But everyone seemingly went cold in the fourth quarter, which, as James could tell you, is the wrong time to do that. Hibbert had 17 points and 11 rebounds, West had 17 and 12, but in the second half, Wade and James outscored the entire Pacers team, 42-38. What's more, Paul George fouled out of the game and Hibbert was in foul trouble pretty much the entire second half, and the entire team seemed to lack aggression after the intermission. It's tough to accuse any team of shying away from the moment, but the Pacers didn't seem ready to steal this one on the road. Game 2 of the series is Tuesday night.

For more on the Pacers, head over to Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana. For more on the Heat, check out Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

Pacers Vs. Heat Score: Pacers Lead Miami At Half, 48-42

Well, the Heat are losing to the Pacers. This is not totally unexpected -- the Pacers are a good team -- but still, Miami invented the Superteam™. It's somewhat surprising to see Indiana with a 48-42 lead at halftime against the Heat.

Here are bad things that happened to the Heat in the first half:

• Miami shot 36 percent from the field.

• Miami fell behind 13-4 and played catch-up the rest of the half.

• Chris Bosh Injury: Miami's Big Third left the game after falling awkwardly on his leg.

• LeBron "CHOCKFRAUD" James had six points on 3-of-9 shooting. MVPLEASE!

Here are some more things you need to know/see from the first half:

• David Stern gave an interview in which he said it's time to get TOUGH on flopping.

• VIDEO: Dwyane Wade + LeBron James = ALLEY-OOP PARTY.

• Photo: Miami Heat fans being Miami Heat fans, i.e. being somewhere else.

Lasting Image: Awwwwwwww Happy Mother's Day, LeBron's mom.

For more on Miami, visit our Heat blog, Peninsula Is Mightier. Get the latest on the Indiana from our Pacers blog, Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana

NBA Playoffs 2012, Heat Vs. Pacers Game 1: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Indiana Pacers stroll into Miami on Sunday looking to pull off a monumental upset against the Heat.

Frank Vogel Says Heat Are 'Biggest Flopping Team In NBA'

NBA Playoff Schedule: Pacers Vs. Heat Tips On Sunday In Miami

The Heat tip off against the Pacers on Sunday afternoon in Miami.