NBA Playoffs Betting Odds: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers Game 4

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Frank Martin

It looks like the Miami Heat are on the verge of collapsing. The second-seeded and heavily-favored Heat were blown out in Game 3 and trail the Eastern Conference semifinals 2-1 to the Indiana Pacers.

Chris Bosh has proven to be much more important than most had anticipated in his absence and Dwyane Wade and coach Eric Spoelstra got into a heated exchange in the third quarter on Thursday.

- Miami Heat @ Indiana Pacers
When: 3:30 PM ET, Sunday, May 20, 2012
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

The Heat have opened as 1.5-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NBA Basketball Odds.

Miami Heat : Wade had one of the worst playoff games of his career on Thursday, going 2 for 13 from the floor and finishing with just five points. The star guard is reportedly dealing with a leg injury and has been receiving treatment. Bosh, who suffered an abdominal strain in Game 1, is not expected back in the next couple of games and LeBron James has clearly suffered from having to play defense on the interior. James scored just six points in the second half of Game 3 and has been knocked around in each of the last two games. Mario Chalmers, who kept Miami in Game 3 with 25 points, suffered a wrist injury late in the fourth quarter. X-rays were negative, but Chalmers was walking around with a large icepack after the contest. In an effort to regroup mentally and physically, the Heat cancelled practice and media availability on Friday.

Indiana Pacers : There is little drama in the Indiana locker room at the moment. The one area that had been missing in the first two games - offensive production from Danny Granger - finally came around in the form of 17 points in Game 3 while the Pacers took advantage of Bosh’s absence by pounding the ball inside. Roy Hibbert starred with 19 points, a career-high 18 rebounds and five blocks while David West had another strong game and George Hill got hot from the outside. Indiana is playing tight team defense and has held the Heat to a combined 35.9 percent shooting in Games 2 and 3. Paul George is not doing much at the offensive end, but his defense on Wade has been key.

1. The Heat are shooting 5 for 42 (11.9 percent) from 3-point range in the series.

2. Miami added Shane Battier and Dexter Pittman to the starting lineup in Game 3. The two combined to shoot 0 for 9.

3. Indiana has won its last three playoff games at home by an average of 17.3 points.

NBA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Pacers 92, Heat 85

Bet on NBA Basketball games with SBG Global Sportsbook, click here!

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bankers life fieldhouse - chris bosh - danny granger - david west - dexter pittman - dwyane wade - eric spoelstra - george hill - indiana pacers - lebron james

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