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Daily NBA Fix 5-31-14: Miami Heat Entering Some Rarified Air

By Phil Watson

May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Greg Oden (right) holds up the conference championship trophy after defeating the Indiana Pacers in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Greg Oden (right) holds up the conference championship trophy after defeating the Indiana Pacers in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (right) gestures towards Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (left) during game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (right) gestures towards Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (left) during game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports /

MIAMI HEAT 117, Indiana Pacers 92
Game 6, Eastern Conference Finals
The team constructed to beat the Miami Heat in the postseason was denied … and dispatched with much prejudice. The Heat blasted the Pacers, who were outscored 54-21 after taking an early 9-2 lead as the competitive phase of Game 6 was over quite early.

LeBron James and Chris Bosh scored 25 points apiece for Miami—which advances to its fourth straight NBA Finals. Chris Andersen came off the bench to post nine points and 10 rebounds in just 13 minutes.

Paul George scored 29 points for Indiana and David West added 16, but the Pacers were stunningly outrebounded by the Heat in the game 37-28.

For Indiana, it was their second straight loss in the conference finals and the third consecutive year it has been bounced from the playoffs by Miami.

The Heat will open the NBA Finals on the road on Thursday, either at San Antonio in a rematch of the 2013 Finals or at Oklahoma City in a reprise of 2012’s championship matchup.