Today’s best NBA pick is of course the prediction for Game 2 between the Heat and Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Seeing how close and dramatic and opening game was, what could we possibly expect from these two teams now? Game one was so thrilling that it will certainly go down as one of the all-time Playoff classics. First, it was Paul George hitting that long, long distance three to send the game to OT after Ray Allen missed a free throw with 17 seconds left on the clock. Then, George scored three FT with 2.2 seconds left to go in OT only to “let” LeBron James convert a left-handed layup as time expired. It was an incredibly game, and one of our Heat v Pacers Game 2 predictions is that basketball fans should get ready for even more excitement.
Truth be told, both teams left a lot of room for improvement going into tonight’s contest. There was a combined total of 41 turnovers. That’s partly, because these are two of the best defensive teams in the league with Indiana actually holding the number one spot in that category. The combined total of 58 fouls another testament for the physicality of this series.
One of the keys to today’s most accurate NBA predictions lies in the proper analysis of what took place in Game one. Indiana’s back court duo of Hill and Stephenson produced a total of just 12 points on a combined shooting of 4 made shots from 19 attempts. Stephenson had 4 turnovers, while Hill added 3 of his own. These two players can hardly play any worse than that, which means that Miami will have a harder task this time around. It’s also about time for Stephenson to get hot from 3-point territory where has had absolutely zero success since Game 4 of the series against the Knicks missing 10 shots in a row. One of our Heat v Pacers Game 2 prediction for May 24th is that in order for Indiana to win, Stephenson has to start knocking down some three balls, record about 15 points, and George Hill will also have to chip in with about 15-20 points of his own in combination with 8+ assists.
At the same time, LeBron James despite being the machine he is, Heat fans can’t really expect such an incredible output every night. He had a beautiful triple-double featuring 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on exactly 50% shooting. James blocked three shot attempts as well. On top of his monster performance, Chris Andersen, aka Birdman, had the offensive-game-of-his-life, converting on all 7 of his shot attempts. Zo Mourning had the previous Heat postseason record with 6/6 FG in a game. A reasonable Heat v Pacers Game 2 prediction would be that birdman will cool off a bit this time and he will not be such a major offensive factor.
One of the biggest factors in this Heat v Pacers predictions for the NBA Playoffs is the performance of Paul George. This young and upcoming talent has been enjoying a breakout season. The sort of year where an opportunity comes across and you step up and rise to the challenge. As the Pacers’ leading scorer went down (Danny Granger has been averaging 21.2 ppg over the past five seasons), someone had to carry that load. Paul George was called up on and that extra responsibility and greater offensive role have allowed him to play to his full potential. Now, deep in the NBA Playoffs, you can see he has great believe in himself, great confidence and he is making some big plays. Anyone that has seen Game 1 knows what we are talking about here. George is the future of this league, among with 6-7 other current players, but what makes him so special is that he is like a combination of Kobe and LeBron. He has that big frame, long arms, and yet he is lean and lighting fast with a great dribble. He can literally jump over people, and he also has a very good shot. One of the best NBA predictions for tonight is that he will play a major part with another solid all-around performance.
In light of this Heat v Pacers Game 2 prediction for May 24th, 2013, we have to outline that the online betting companies rate Miami as clear favorites to win this game and take a 2-0 advantage going to Indiana, but the visitors were in the exact same situation last year and still made a series out of it. Although it was one round before, Indi have that added experience this season and that would be an advantage for them.
Heat v Pacers Game 2 Prediction: Indiana to Win @ 4.00 on Money Line!
