Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers: Lineups and Predictions

Miami Heat take the Indiana Pacers on in a battle of the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The top-three are virtually locked up by Boston, Toronto, and Milwaukee. Due to this, Heat-Pacers is most likely a preview of their inevitable first-round match-up. Philadelphia rising to the fifth seed is unlikely with their injury issues.

There is added pressure on this game. Jimmy Butler and rival T.J. Warren will lock horns again. T.J. and Jimmy got into a scuffle during the last Heat-Pacers game in January. Butler held T.J. to 6 points in a Heat blow-out win which became tense at the end. Since then, T.J. has emerged as the bubble MVP, with tremendous scoring averages for the Pacers. Butler missed three games nursing an injury but will return to face T.J. and the Pacers.

Both games played this season were won by the Miami Heat, but the Pacers have been the better team in the bubble. Indiana is 4-1, with their only loss coming to the undefeated Phoenix Suns. The Heat on the other hand have lost three out of their five games, missing Butler in two losses. The Heat and Pacers have identical records (43-27), so the winner will take a one-game lead in the conference.

Miami Heat bounce-back against the Pacers?

Both teams have to make game-time decisions over their line-up. The Heat have to decide on whether Goran Dragic and KZ Okpala will join the line-up against the Pacers. Indiana has their best player questionable right now, as T.J. Warren has some nagging foot injuries which may bench him. Missing the chance at a Butler-Warren confrontation would be disappointing, but we can look towards some moments in the playoffs.

The Pacers are one of the hottest teams in the bubble, while the Heat is a team uniquely designed to defeat anyone. They have had superiority over the Pacers all season, but this is the most valuable game yet. The impact on seeding is mostly unchanged, but this will set the tone for the possible playoff series between them.

If Warren is out and Jimmy Butler returns, it will be hard for the Pacers to continue to win. Butler is an elite defensive presence and can control the pace of the game. However, we back the Heat even if Warren is back. Butler did a terrific job on the old T.J. Warren. The question is whether bubble Warren can overcome that humiliating game and teach his biggest instigator a lesson?

Source: CBS Sports (1), (2)