Jeremey Lin Story Is Cute, Meanwhile LeBron James, Miami Heat Quietly Running The NBA

by Tom Lewis on Feb 15, 2012 9:00 AM EST in Indiana Pacers News

LeBron James and the Miami Heats destroyed, rolled, punked, embarrassed or however you prefer to describe the beating, the Indiana Pacers took one last night. But there was really nothing they could do but acquiesce to the will of the Heat and more precisely LeBron last night.

After the game, Frank Vogel credited the Heat for playing at a championship level and that sounded about right. Don't get me wrong, the Pacers didn't play well but they could've played their best game of the season and still lost by ten points last night.

Mercy.

Unlike last season, LeBron sticks out like a sore thumb on the court, even while running alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, because he's dominating control of the game. Talk about smash-mouth. The Heat are 10-2 since Wade returned from injury and just cruised through a back-to-back-to-back wins by absolutely destroying and discarding three inferior teams.

It was the NBA equivalent of a tornado blowing through the Fieldhouse last night and the Pacers ran to the middle of their basement just hoping to survive while any hopes of competing were ripped away and blown somewhere over Ohio in the swath of destruction.

Eight minutes into the game last night, the Heat starters had run out to a 13-point lead when Erik Spoelstra started going to his bench. Not long after, Frank Vogel did the same thing but the Pacers second unit didn't stand a chance. That's because Spoelstra left LeBron in to run the second unit until early in the second quarter and the guy was everywhere, facillitating shots for teammates and leading a swarming defense. At times it seemed like the Heat were playing 6-on5.

My apologies for gushing like this but what I saw was flat-out impressive. I realize the Jeremy Lin story is a far more intriguing, feel-good story at this point in the NBA season but there's no doubt the final chapter of any story about this NBA season will be starring James and the Heat unless they have some devastating injury issues.

The Pacers are actually lucky they don't have time to dwell on Heat beat-down and instead wake up in Cleveland this morning with a chance to get back on the horse tonight and play the Cleveland Cavaliers. They won't be able to forget the Heat so easily, though since Miami is staying in the same hotel as the Pacers with a couple of days off before playing the Cavs themselves on Friday.

Check out the links after the jump.

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Comments

Pacers are just not playing basketball. They aren’t fun to watch right now, just an embarrassment.

Hope Vogel makes some adjustments.

Bird, I hope you are trying to get a real starting point guard. I think that’s what this team needs the most. Other than a backup C and a shooting guard that can get his own shot. Was really hoping Lance would step up, but so far he hasn’t really done much. He’s our best passer for sure, but he has no jump shot.

And it's now my sig
by Bronn on May 17, 2011 4:56 PM EDT

by Sparhawk on Feb 15, 2012 10:35 AM EST reply actions

Althou i've been a fan

since Day 1, Hansbrough productivity is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Don’t get me wrong, in no way am I blaming Hansbrough for the recent losing streak and I don’t believe trading him (yet) is the answer but we must get substantially more productivity from our bench

Althou he will help, by no means is Hill the answer.

For these reasons I believe Larry should try to lure Beasley away form Minnesota.
He can backup West and hopefully when Hansbrough gets his groove back, he can slide to backup SF allowing him to continue to play starter minutes.

by jonjonNYC on Feb 15, 2012 12:38 PM EST reply actions

Then

we can hopefully sign unrestricted FA Kaman in the off-season

by jonjonNYC on Feb 15, 2012 12:56 PM EST up reply actions

The game was awful

I could not watch the fourth quarter. And I have to say, seeing Mr. James stick his chest out every time and pose he gets a dunk makes me hate the guy: showboat, egotist, arrogant slob, take your choice.

The Pacers have to play better defense. I was hopeful when their point production went up this month, but then their defense started to slip. This team has no superstar, and I cannot remember when a team without a superstar won the NBA championship. The Pacers can do it, they can make history, but they have to execute on both ends of the floor: score 90 points a game and hold off the other team the way they did in December and January.

by euphorbus on Feb 15, 2012 2:03 PM EST reply actions