IC Cold Links: Pacers Exhale After Beating Heat, Stumble Against Nets

Human nature dictated that the Indiana Pacers couldn't help be experience a mental and physical exhale after a strong effort on Monday night to beat the Miami Heat. So it is easy to see how they came out light on energy and execution against the New Jersey Nets.

The problem is, a top team in the NBA, which the Pacers strive to be, fights through the malaise to fight for a win. The Pacers have done that against sub-.500 teams quite a bit this year but this time Deron Williams took the fight to the Pacers when it mattered and there was no response from the banana suits. Stark reminder that this team has far from arrived.

The Pacers will have another mental and physical challenge ahead of them tonight as they face the Washington Wizards at BLF, a team that nearly beat the Pacers just last week in a similar situation to what the Pacers faced against the Nets. The Wiz just didn't have Deron Williams.

Check out the links after the jump.

• Box score: Nets 100, Pacers 84
• Rewind: Pacers vs. Nets 120326 | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS
• Pacers fall back to earth versus Nets after beating NBA elite | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com
• Pacers notebook: Team takes in Broadway show on Bird, Magic | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com
• Deron Williams leads depleted Nets over Pacers - NBA -AP
• Deron Williams, Nets crush Indiana Pacers, 100-84 | NJ.com
• Nets Overcome Even More Injuries to Blow Out Pacers - NetsDaily
• Post-Game Grades: Pacers Couldn’t Be Bothered to Show Up for the Nets Game | Eight Points, Nine Seconds
• Pacers: They go to Jersey and "lay an egg" | Pacers Insider | The Indianapolis Star | IndyStar.com
• Wizards see improvement, despite record, since trade for Nene - The Washington Post
• NBA Preview - Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers - Mar 29, 2012 - CBSSports.com