Pacers overcome Heat in bruising battle for East

Indiana Pacers forwards David West (left) and Evan Turner celebrate during the game against the Miami Heat at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indiana, The Pacers won 84-83.  Picture: USA TODAY Sports

DPA/Los Angeles

With the intensity and physicality the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat displayed on Wednesday, it looked like the Eastern Conference final was on the line.

Evan Turner hit the go-ahead layup with 90 seconds remaining and David West buried a rare 3-pointer during a late 8-0 run, and the Pacers beat the visiting two-time defending NBA Champions 84-83 in a bruising battle of East powers.

“I’m very proud of our effort to battle back a few different times where it seemed like Miami was taking control of the game. We responded each time,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said.

“Evan Turner did a great job with two huge plays. We probably don’t win the game without his plays, and David West stepping up with the big play of the night.”

The Pacers clinched their second straight Central Division crown but only after Chris Bosh airballed a potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer.

Paul George had 23 points, Roy Hibbert scored 21 with nine rebounds for Indiana (52-20) which moved three games in front of Miami for the top seed in the East.

LeBron James had 38 points while Dwyane Wade added 15 before leaving late in the game with a hamstring strain as the two-time defending NBA Champs lost for the eighth time in the last 13 games.

“We came in with a mindset to win this game and we fell short,” a frustrated James said.  The testy contest featured the Pacers twice getting whistled in the fourth quarter for flagrant fouls on James that were overturned by officials after review. 

James getting called for a rare flagrant foul for landing an unintentional elbow to Hibbert’s chin on a drive to the basket; and Stephenson getting ejected for taunting Wade with five minutes remaining.

“Of course I was surprised,” James said. “They referee the game and we play it. It’s very frustrating as a player you try to play the game the right way.”

Bosh chimed in saying, “Our guys are getting punched in the face and clothes-lined out there, maybe we have to decipher what flagrant means. I don’t think they were going for the ball. “Do that and it’s open season, and people are going to get hurt.”

Miami led 80-76 but couldn’t keep hold it. Instead, Hibbert split a pair of free throws, and Turner raced in for a fast-break layup after James coughed up the ball, as Wade hobbled to the bench.

After a turnover by Miami’s Mario Chalmers, Turner made a nifty layup to put the Pacers ahead 81-80 with 1:30 left.

West drained a wide-open triple - just his fourth of the season - at the other end - to make it 84-80. But Bosh countered with a 3-pointer of his own to make it a one-point game. George Hill had a chance to ice the game for the Pacers but the 83 per cent free throw shooter blew both tosses giving the Heat a final shot.

James took the in-bound pass out of a timeout with two seconds left and zipped a pass over to Bosh whose jumper from the right side fell well short at the buzzer.

“There’s not much you can do with two seconds left. Bosh said. “I didn’t have time. It was two passes and a forced shot at the end.”

Spurs 108, Denver Nuggets 103

Tim Duncan had 29 points, with 13 rebounds, and the league-best Spurs (55-16) held off the visiting Nuggets for their season-high 15th straight victory.

Pelicans 98, LA Clippers 96

Anthony Morrow scored 27 points, Anthony Davis had 16 with 13 rebounds and six blocks, and the Pelicans held off the visiting Clippers for their fourth straight win. Jamal Crawford scored 31 but missed the potential game-winning triple at the buzzer and the Clippers fell for just the second time in the last 15 games.

Raptors 99, Boston Celtics 90

Terrence Ross scored 24 points, Kyle Lowry 23, and the playoff-bound Raptors won in Boston for the first time since 2008.

Knicks 107, Sacramento Kings 99

Carmelo Anthony tossed in 36 points, J R  Smith matched a franchise-record with nine 3-pointers en route to 29 and the Knicks nipped the playoff-eliminated Kings, who wasted DeMarcus Cousins’ 32-point, 15-rebound, eight-assist effort.

Timberwolves 107, Hawks 83

Gorgui Dieng had 15 points with 15 rebounds, Kevin Love added 14 points and 12 boards, and the T-Wolves handed the visiting Hawks their fourth straight loss.

Phoenix 99, Wizards 93

Slovenia’s Goran Dragic scored 25 points, Eric Bledsoe added 23, and the visiting Suns won their fifth in a row after beating the Wizards, who got a game-high 29 points from John Wall.

Bobcats 116, Brooklyn Nets 111 (OT)

Al Jefferson had 35 points and 15 rebounds, Kemba Walker added 20 points with 12 assists, and the Bobcats clipped the Nets in overtime for their 10th win in the last 12 home games.

Cavaliers 97, Pistons 96

Matt Dellavedova dropped in a career-high 21 points, and Dion Waiters delivered the game-winning jumper at the buzzer, lifting the visiting Cavs past the Pistons.

Memphis Grizzlies 91, Utah Jazz 87

Zach Randolph had 22 points, 13 rebounds, and a  pair of sealing free throws with 11 seconds, as the visiting Grizzlies edged the West-worst Jazz for their fifth win in the last six decisions.