NBA Playoffs: Everything you need to know about the Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers

Can Miami’s young guys continue the way they’re playing in the playoffs?

The Miami Heat have been this successful mainly because of their young guys, surprisingly. At the beginning of the season, you wouldn’t think they would have one of the more promising young cores in the league.

Out of their top-10 in minutes played, five are 26 years old or younger. Their arguably second most important player is only 22 years old. Their best shooter is 26 years old. Their starting point guard is 24 years old. And their rookie microwave of the bench is only 20 years old.

That is a lot of 20-something. Not only are they young, but they are also young in experience. None of those players have major playoff experience. Apart from Bam Adebayo, none of them have even been to the playoffs.

Performing in the regular-season is one thing, but stepping up and continuing that performance in the playoffs is another. 10-plus year veterans struggle in the playoffs, so the likelihood of these young players underperforming is quite high.

It’s not just about their mindset or how they would react in the playoffs, but how the opposing team reacts to them. You play a team a minimum of four times in the playoffs and that is enough for the Pacers to be more prepared for these players.

The Indiana Pacers were sixth in defensive rating. They do have players like Brogdon and Oladipo to throw out at the young guys and doubling them. So, it all depends on how the young players will react and if they can handle that pressure.