IC Cold Links: Great Anticipation For Pacers Game With Heat Tonight

The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers have played two extremely entertaining games so far this season. Well, entertaining if you are a Pacers fan, at least.

Still, as they prepare to play at Conseco Fieldhouse tonight, despite the strong play from the Pacers of late, it's still hard to not envision LeBron James and Dwyane Wade saying enough and laying a beat-down on the Pacers. Of course, LeBron did drop 41 on the Pacers last week which didn't translate to a thumping. Still, I guess I'm having a hard time truly adjusting my expectation even with all of the legitimate talk that tonight's game could be preview of a first round playoff matchup this year.

Tim Donahue mentioned a similar reticence he feels with the sudden, positive turn of events. TD then goes on to look ahead at the schedule which shows the positive outlook is indeed warranted. It all makes sense and the Pacers should certainly be able to finish the season in the playoff mix, but I won't exhale until they cross the finish line and those playoff tickets are for sale. In homage to the late, great Tom Carnegie, I'm hoping the Pacers don't play the role of Mario Andretti with everything looking great before...slowing down on the backstretch.

Don't want to hold you up from the links any further, because you will be treated to an epic Crate appearance by assistant coach Walter McCarty who not only shows off his bark but discusses his new CD and performs one of the tracks. Can't confirm, but I think Bruno is singing backup for McCarty. I think...

• Pacers Crate with Walter McCarty
  The boys from Crate chat up assistant coach Walter McCarty who classes up the joint by discussing his singing career and new CD.
• The Pacers have been hitting the airwaves lately, represented on all of the local Sunday night television sports shows and then yesterday, Larry Bird, David Morway and Josh McRoberts were on various shows on 1070 The Fan. Here's a link to the podcast page for links to the audio.
• Pacers, Heat could see each other again in April
  Bruno's latest Caught in the Web looks ahead to potential matchup between the Pacers and Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
• Is this a playoff preview? | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com
  Jeff Rabjohns reports on the Heat not looking past the Pacers, especially considering the two could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
• Ah, 2004, when Pacers eliminated Heat | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com
  Speaking of playoffs, Jeff Rabjohns peaks back to a time when the playoffs were common and fun for the Pacers.
• Mike Miller of Miami Heat admits he's 'woozy' after hits but has no bearing on performance - ESPN
  Brian Windhorst reports: Mike Miller said he's feeling the effects of two blows to the head on the Miami Heat's current road trip, but has refused to admit it has affected his performance.
• With Sloan now gone, Jazz enter into a new era of change | NBA.com
  David Aldridge spends a big chunk of his column on Frank Vogel's 7-1 coaching start.