Heat even series with Game 2 win over Pacers

LeBron James scored six straight points to spark a decisive 12-2 run, and the Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 87-83 on Tuesday night to leave the Eastern Conference finals tied at a game apiece.

James had 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. Dwyane Wade had 23 points, 13 in the first half when the Heat desperately needed them to stay close, and 10 more in the fourth quarter when they had to rally.

Game 3 is Saturday in Miami.

Lance Stephenson tied his playoff career high with 25 points for the Pacers. Paul George scored 14.

The Heat trailed 73-69 with 7:19 left. But James hit a 3-pointer, and scored the first six points in the rally and the Heat defense gave up only eight points in the final five minutes.

Miami has won 11 straight games following a playoff loss and still has not trailed 2-0 in a series since the first round of the 2012 playoffs.

At times, the rough-and-tumble night took on the aura of a football game, especially late.

George and Wade banged knees while chasing a loose ball, then returned following the ensuing timeout. James crashed hard awkwardly to the floor when West was called for a flagrant foul in the fourth quarter - a call later changed to a common foul following a replay review.

“That’s what’s it’s about,” James said. “It’s not going to be pretty. Not in the Eastern Conference. It’s never pretty basketball in the Eastern Conference. It’s about who can sustain runs. You know, who can get defensive stops? Who can not turn the ball over and who can get great shots? I think we did that in the fourth.”

Two days after allowing the Pacers to score 107 points, Miami rallied in the first half by holding Indiana to just nine points over a 10-minute stretch.

“We fly around. Game 1 we didn’t fly around,” James said. “We let them dictate everything that they wanted and we didn’t play Miami Heat defense. That’s what’s good about this team, we go back, we watch the film, we own up to what we did, the mistakes that we had, and then we come out and make it happen.”

AP