The Indiana Pacers will miss the cold and snow at home as they go to Miami and try to beat the Heat. Here's a game preview which finds the Heat in a grumpy mood, hunting for a W. I never thought I'd say this, but after last night, Daequan Cook and Chris Quinn are already making me nervous. Cook went off in the Heat's first meeting with the Pacers earlier this year. He's had sporadic minutes and success since. Quinn has asserted himself while receiving extended minutes lately. In the Heat's last game, Quinn splashed 6 of 10 3-balls. Should be no surprise. D 'em up!
Here's what the efficiency numbers say:
| Team | Pace | Off.Eff. | Def.Eff. |
|---|---|---|---|
| IND | 97.5(2nd) | 106.0(16th) | 107.2(15th) |
| MIA | 90.1(17th) | 103.6(22th) | 108.4(19th) |
In the Wade-less first meeting, the Heat successfully slowed the pace down to a limp. I imagine they're more inclined to run with Wade and a few shooters to spread things out.
Projected Starters
| PACERS | pos. | HEAT |
|---|---|---|
| Jermaine O'Neal | F | Udonis Haslem |
| Danny Granger | F | Dorell Wright |
| Troy Murphy | C | Shaquille O'Neal |
| Mike Dunleavy | G | Dwyane Wade |
| Jamaal Tinsley | G | Jason Williams |
Feel free to leave your thoughts on the game in the comments.