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Game recap: Pacers hold off Heat in battle for playoff position

scott horner, indianapolis star
·5 min read

The Indiana Pacers host the Miami Heat on Sunday with significant NBA playoff implications on the line. The Pacers (44-34) hold the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference; the Heat (43-34) are No. 7. One week remains in the regular season.

The top six teams in the conference qualify for the playoffs, while Nos. 7-10 head to the play-in tournament to determine the final two spots.

Dustin Dopirak is your best Pacers follow, and we will have highlights here, so please remember to refresh.

Final: Pacers 117, Heat 115

The Pacers gain a little breathing room going for the top 6 in the Eastern Conference standings with three games remaining.

They had lost their previous five decisions of 5 points or less.

T.J. McConnell scores 22 and Myles Turner has 22 with 13 rebounds. Five other Pacers score in double figures.

Jimmy Butler leads Miami with 27 points, while Tyler Herro has 21, and Bam Adebayo (12 rebounds) and Caleb Martin score 20 each.

The Pacers, who lead the Heat and the 76ers by 1 1/2 games, play at Toronto on Tuesday.

6.6 seconds left 4Q: Pacers 117, Heat 114

Tyler Herro brings Miami within 1 on a 3-pointer, but Aaron Nesmith makes 2 free throws. Miami has one chance left.

22.3 seconds left 4Q: Pacers 113, Heat 111

Pacers are challenging a foul call on Tyler Herro's 3-point attempt. The challenge fails and Herro hits all 3 free throws.

3:38 left 4Q: Pacers 103, Heat 99

Nikola Jovic has 16 second-half points and Jimmy Butler has 25 for the game as Miami closes in.

6:41 left 4Q: Pacers 99, Heat 87

Miami is almost even in rebounds (Indiana is up 35-34) and wants to draw fouls. The Heat are 18-of-21 on free throws; Indiana is 10-of-11.

10:27 left 4Q: Pacers 95, Heat 80

Sneaky T.J. McConnell scores twice in a row, and is up to 22 points. Timeout, Miami.

End 3Q: Pacers 91, Heat 78

T.J. McConnell leads six Pacers in double figures with 18 points. Jimmy Butler has 21 to lead Miami.

4:59 left 3Q: Pacers 77, Heat 68

Jimmy Butler scores to cap an 11-2 Miami run. Timeout, Pacers. Nikola Jovic has 8 points in the quarter and Miami is getting to the free throw line (14-of-15 for the game).

7:33 left 3Q: Pacers 75, Heat 57

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. Timeout, Miami.

Halftime: Pacers 63, Heat 46

All Pacers so far. Myles Turner has 11 points and 10 rebounds, and T.J. McConnell 14 points. Jimmy Butler has 13 points, and Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin 10 each for Miami.

Pacers are shooting 55.6% from the field and 5-of-17 on 3s; Miami is 40% and 2-of-16. Indiana owns a 23-16 rebound edge.

2:45 left 2Q: Pacers 56, Heat 39

Indiana has led by 19 points. Miami is 1-of-14 on 3-pointers.

6:38 left 2Q: Pacers 46, Heat 33

Of course, T.J. McConnell leads the Pacers in scoring. He has 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

End 1Q: Pacers 38, Heat 24

Seven Pacers (not Pascal Siakam, oddly) have at least 2 made field goals. Jimmy Butler has 9 points for Miami.

2:52 left 1Q: Pacers 29, Heat 22

Eight Pacers have played, and all have scored. They're 70%+ from the field.

6:53 left 1Q: Pacers 12, Heat 7

Pacers are hot early (5-of-9 overall, 2-of-3 on 3s).

Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Smith are available

The star point guard and the backup center had been listed as questionable.

NBA Eastern Conference standings

As of April 6, the Pacers have a 93.3% chance of making the playoffs ‒ and a 63.8% chance of being in the top 6 ‒ according to Basketball Reference:

Team

Record

1. Celtics

61-16

2. Bucks

47-30

3. Cavaliers

46-32

4. Magic

45-32

5. Knicks

45-32

6. Pacers

44-34

7. Heat

43-34

8. 76ers

43-35

9. Bulls

37-40

10. Hawks

36-42

Pacers remaining schedule

April 7, Sunday, vs. Miami, 5 p.m.

April 9, Tuesday, at Toronto, 7 p.m.

April 12, Friday, at Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m.

April 14, Sunday, vs. Hawks, 1 p.m.

How does the play-in tournament work?

∎ The No. 7 seed hosts the No. 8 seed, and the winner of that game is the No. 7 seed for the playoffs.

∎ The No. 9 team hosts the No. 10 seed, and the loser of that game is eliminated.

∎ The loser of the 7-8 game hosts the winner of the 9-10 game, and the winner of that game is the No. 8 seed for the playoffs.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat score updates, highlights, NBA playoffs