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The Pacers and Heat are both adjusting to a new season with new roles and in the Pacers' case, a new style of play.
Both teams have showed great promise but also signs of growing pains. The Heat have lost their last two games and the Pacers have dropped three straight. Painful, indeed.
Tonight they try to get straight on national television with the ESPN Friday night game broadcasting from the Fieldhouse. For the Pacers, their defensive identity has been in the witness protection program since leaving Los Angeles last week. The team spent the past two off days trying to reclaim their true identity at the defensive end and will try to emerge on the public stage once again against the Heat.
Is it that simple or have teams adjusted to attacking the Pacers spread lineup which can leave C.J. Miles in a bind trying got guard power forwards? Can the backcourt rotation with George Hill, Monta Ellis and Rodney Stuckey play more consistently or do the Pacers need to bolster the reserve options? Phil Naessens and I discussed these issues along with the odd feeling of playing the Heat at home, normally a buzz-filled, circus, after the wild appearance of the Warriors on Tuesday night.
Here's the latest episode of The Phil Naessens Show.
Check out the links:
Game Preview: Pacers vs Heat | Indiana Pacers
Pacers Seeking Something Old, Something New | Indiana Pacers
Pacers go back to drawing board on defense
Heat Look To Snap Skid With Pacers Win " CBS Miami
Paul George, Pacers change position on how to succeed in NBA - TrueHoop- ESPN
The 2016 Pacers - Two Teams Becoming One - 8 Points, 9 Seconds
Game Preview: Heat stumble into Indianapolis to visit Pacers - Hot Hot Hoops