| Heat–Pacers rivalry | |
| Team1: | Miami Heat |
| Team2: | Indiana Pacers |
| First Contested: | January 15, 1989 Heat 118, Pacers 117 |
| Mostrecent: | November 17, 2024 Pacers 119, Heat 110 |
| Nextmeeting: | January 2, 2025 |
| Total: | 161 |
| Currentstreak: | IND W1 |
| Longeststreak: | IND W11 |
| Series: | 86–75 (IND) |
| Regularseason: | 75–57 (IND) |
| Postseason: | 18–11 (MIA) |
| Section Header: | Postseason history |
| Section Info: |
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The Heat–Pacers rivalry is a basketball rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] [2] The rivalry started in 1988 with the creation of the Heat franchise. The two organizations have faced each other five times in the NBA playoffs with Indiana winning their first matchup 4–2 in the 2004 Eastern Conference semifinals. Most recently, the rivalry was renewed when Miami swept Indiana in the 2020 Eastern Conference first round.
During the early 2010s, both teams faced each other three consecutive years in 2012, 2013, and 2014, including back–to–back Eastern Conference Finals matchups. Miami's teams consisted of the "Big Three" (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh), while Indiana's core included star Paul George, David West, Roy Hibbert, Lance Stephenson, George Hill, and Danny Granger. The rivalry grew after several altercations occurred between core players from both teams throughout each series. They met once again in 2020 with both teams sporting different rosters.
The two franchises first met in the 2004 NBA playoffs, when Indiana won 4–2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.[3] Indiana had the first seed in the Eastern Conference, and the best record in the league, led by Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest, and Al Harrington.[4] The Heat were led by rookie Dwyane Wade, Lamar Odom, Eddie Jones, and Caron Butler.[5] The Pacers would go on to lose in six games in the Eastern Conference finals to the eventual champion Detroit Pistons. Following the 2003–04 NBA season, and before meeting again in 2012, Indiana remained competitive in the Eastern Conference, while Miami would win their first ever championship in 2006 after acquiring Shaquille O'Neal.[6]
Prior to the 2011–12 season, the Heat created a Superteam with a new "Big Three" consisting of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.[7] The Heat were fresh off an upset loss in the 2011 NBA Finals to Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, former Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, and the Dallas Mavericks.[8] The 2011 Mavericks roster also featured former Heat player Shawn Marion and future Pacer Ian Mahinmi.[9] In addition to their preexisting core of Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Juwan Howard, Joel Anthony, and former Pacer James Jones, the Heat acquired veterans Shane Battier, Eddy Curry and Ronny Turiaf.[10] Indiana's core included All-Stars Danny Granger, David West and Roy Hibbert, as well as younger players Paul George, George Hill, Lance Stephenson, Darren Collison, and Tyler Hansbrough.[11] The Pacers also acquired Leandro Barbosa prior to the playoffs.[11] During the series, both head coaches were fined for statements made relating to the officiating: Frank Vogel of Indiana accused the Heat of flopping before the series started,[12] while Erik Spoelstra of Miami took offense to what he perceived to be deliberate "head–hunting" of his players on the part of the Pacers.[13] Indiana took a 2–1 lead after Miami's Chris Bosh was sidelined with an abdominal strain.[14] Powered by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Miami won three straight games to take the series 4–2 against Indiana.[15] The Heat went on to claim the championship, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder.[16]
The following season saw improvements for both teams. Miami acquired Ray Allen and Chris Andersen,[17] [18] while Indiana acquired Ian Mahinmi,[19] D. J. Augustin,[20] and Gerald Green.[21] The Pacers also had two emerging stars in Paul George and Lance Stephenson from the absence of Danny Granger due to a season–ending injury.[22] Granger would later sign with the Heat during their 2014–15 season.[23] During the season, after the Heat lost to the Pacers, they compiled a 27–game winning streak; the last time the Heat lost two in a row in the year were the games against Indiana and Portland.[24]
The Heat and the Pacers met in the conference finals of the 2013 playoffs on May 22. Several instances of physicality became prominent in the series. Shane Battier received an offensive foul for throwing his knee at Hibbert's midsection; Hibbert claimed that it was intentional dirty play on the part of Battier.[25] Mahinmi received a retroactive flagrant foul for a grab of James' arm.[26] Norris Cole latched a hand on West's groin area as he tried to slip through West.[27] Wade received a retroactive flagrant foul for hitting Stephenson in the head, another incident that the Pacers, notably Paul George, felt was a dirty play.[28] The Heat survived game one on a James game–winning layup,[29] while the Pacers came back to tie the series at 1–1 after forcing James into two late fourth–quarter turnovers for game two.[30] In game three, the Heat set a team record for points in a post–season half with 70.[31] Allen's single turnover was the least ever suffered by the Heat in a first half. Their five total turnovers was tied for the fewest in franchise history. The game three victory marked the first time that an NBA team had won five straight road games by double digits.[31] The Heat won the series 4–3, with a 99–76 win in game seven, eventually becoming back–to–back NBA Champions.[32]
In the 2014 playoffs, the Pacers and Heat met in a second consecutive Eastern Conference finals match up. Indiana entered the series with home court advantage, earning the first seed in the Eastern Conference, with a record during the 2013–14 season. Indiana's core players from this series included Paul George, David West, Lance Stephenson, George Hill, Roy Hibbert, and new acquisitions, Evan Turner, Luis Scola, and Andrew Bynum. Likewise, Miami's key players again consisted of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers, as well as newcomers Greg Oden and Michael Beasley. Even though the Pacers were viewed as legitimate title contenders,[33] Miami eliminated Indiana again, this time in six games.[34]
Indiana and Miami met again for the first time since 2014 in the 2020 playoffs with the Heat sweeping the Pacers in the first round. Indiana was led by Victor Oladipo, Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. Warren and Myles Turner. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragic, and Tyler Herro, who ended up reaching the 2020 NBA Finals. Indiana sustained significant injuries preventing All–Star Domantas Sabonis and Jeremy Lamb from playing in the 2020 NBA Bubble.[1]
The Pacers, which were the runners-up in the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament, and Heat faced-off under East Group B in the 2024 NBA Cup.[35] The Heat beat the Pacers in the group stage game on November 15 with a score of 124–111.[36]