Most pundits had the Miami Heat winning its best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Indiana Pacers in five games. Maybe six. Nearly halfway through, though, the Heat trails the Pacers, 2-1 after a 19-point loss in Game 3. And should it stumble again on Sunday, it'd be one game away from elimination.
One reason the Heat trails? Offense. For much of this series, Miami has struggled to score. Through three games, it's averaging 81.6 points per game, including 75 points during its Game 3 loss. Dwyane Wade, in particular, has had trouble offensively. On Thursday night, he was ice cold, scoring a mere five points on 2-for-13 shooting.
When asked about his struggles, including a sideline exchange with head coach Eric Spoelstra during Game 3, Wade's response was quick, if not brief.
"We move on from it."
We'll see.
Game time: Sunday May 20, 2012; 3:30 p.m. EST
Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
TV coverage: ABC
For more news, analysis, and discussion on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier and and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For the opponent's perspective throughout the series, check out Indy Cornrows and SB Nation Indiana. And for all your news and notes on the playoffs matchups, visit SB Nation's dedicated NBA hub.