Indianapolis, May 12: The Indiana Pacers cruise to a 91-80 win over the Miami Heat to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal Ron Artest scored 20 points and Reggie Miller added 19, as the Indiana Pacers rolled easily over Miami, 91-80, to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Friday (May 8). Jermaine O'Neal added 17 points and nine rebounds for Indiana, which remained unbeaten in six playoff games this post-season. The top-seeded Pacers will now leave the friendly confines of Conseco Fieldhouse for Monday's Game 3 in Miami, where the Heat have won 16 straight games. Miami won all four of its home games against New Orleans in the first round.


Provided the fourth-seeded Heat take at least one game in front of their home crowd, they will be back in Indiana for Game 5 of this best-of-seven set -- a burden for a team that has lost its last eight playoff games on the road.


Miami was led in this one by Lamar Odom and Dwyane Wade, who scored 19 apiece. The Pacers led by eight at halftime, but didn't take control of the game until a 10-2 run to end the third quarter gave them a 69-54 heading into the fourth.


Miami was within three points early in the third until Miller and Artest took over for Indiana. The two combined for 18 points to lead the Pacers to a 25-18 advantage in the period.


Artest was 4-of-6 from the floor with a three-pointer for 10 points in the quarter, and Miller scored eight in the period. Indiana was 10-of-19 as a team in the 12 minutes, forcing five Miami turnovers and holding the Heat to 7- of-16 shooting.


Indiana then led by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter. Miami got only as close as the final margin.

Bureau Report