This Time, Pacers Power Past Heat

Jeff Foster was tired of answering questions about how undersized Miami was beating the Indiana Pacers on the boards. So he did something about it.

Foster had 20 points and 16 rebounds, bests of his career, on Saturday to lead the Pacers to a 94-83 win over the Heat and a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“He led this team,” Indiana All-Star Jermaine O’Neal said. “A lot of energy and a lot of big plays.”

O’Neal also had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who used a dominating third quarter to take control of the game.

Miami went into the game holding a 23-rebound advantage over the bigger, stronger Pacers.

Indiana finally flexed its muscle in Game 5. The Pacers outrebounded Miami, 47-30. Foster had seven offensive rebounds, as many as the Heat team.

“Jeff Foster was fabulous and that’s what happens when a guy brings a phenomenal, phenomenal effort,” Heat Coach Stan Van Gundy said.

Game 6 is Tuesday in Miami, where the Heat has won 18 consecutive games, including two convincing victories over the Pacers that evened the series.

As has been the case all postseason, the Heat looked like a completely different team on the road.

After shooting 51.4% in its two wins in Miami, the Heat was overwhelmed in its sixth consecutive road loss in the playoffs.

Lamar Odom had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Miami but was far from the force he was at home. He missed seven of his first eight shots and wasn’t a factor for most of the game.

The Pacers took a five-point lead into halftime, then put the game away with a spectacular third quarter.

O’Neal had nine points and five rebounds and Foster eight points and three rebounds in the quarter. The Pacers shot 80% and held the Heat to 31.6% shooting to take a 73-54 lead into the fourth quarter.