Philippines, 24 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


NBA -- Heat close in on 3rd straight NBA Finals trip


PhilBoxing.com




NEW YORK -- The Miami Heat moved one game away from their third straight NBA Finals appearance by handling the pesky Indiana Pacers, 90-79, in the pivotal Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals Thursday night at the sold-out AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

The task required a lot of heavy lifting from LeBron James, who finished with a spectacular 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists. James outscored outscored the entire Pacers team 16-13 in the third quarter where the Heat went on a 30-13 run that turned a 44-40 halftime deficit into a 70-57 advantage heading into the final 12 minutes of play.

"James was pretty special tonight. There's no question about it. The whole team is special. They're one of the best teams this league has ever seen. We're enjoying competing against them," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said during the postgame press conference.

"That's what I came here for, to be able to compete for a championship and we're one step away from doing it again," James said moments after he carried the Miami Heat on his back when their reign as defending champions was seriously threatened.

With a 3-2 series lead, the Heat can close out the Pacers in Game 6 of this best-of-seven affair Saturday night at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse Indianapolis.

The Heat's two other stars, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, struggled. Wade had only 10 points with three turnovers while Bosh, smarting a bad ankle, from a Game 4 mishap, tallied seven points and five rebounds. But Udonis Haslem picked up some of the slack with 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting and the Heat made 38 of 75 field goals, including 7-for-18 from 3-point range.

The Pacers dictated the pace in the opening half and took a seven-point lead by throwing imposing their size over the smaller Heat. But when James went ballistic in the third quarter, Indiana didn't have any answers.

Paul George was spectacular with 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists but it wasn't enough to carry the Pacers, who made only 31 of 69 field goals and 5-of-13 threes. Center Roy Hibbert had 22 markers and six boards for Indiana while David West chipped in 17 and eight rebounds. But guards George Hill and Lance Stephenson combined for only five points. RIC)

Photo: LeBron James finds a 7-foot-2 road block in Pacers center Roy Hibbert in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals Thursday night. LeBron had 30 points to lead the Heat over the Pacers, 90-79.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rodene Ivan B. Cortes.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Boxlab Promotions Fighters Shine with Statement Victories in Orlando
    , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • Red Owl Boxing Presents Box Fest XVII on Friday, April 3rd at The Archer Music Hall in Allentown, PA and LIVE on DAZN
    , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • Boxing world fans waiting Isis Sio prompty recovery; Team Isis Sio statement
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • National Master Nika Juris Nicolas rules National Youth & Schools Chess Championships
    , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • SD FIGHT NIGHT: FAMILY BUSINESS DOUBLE MAIN EVENTS SET AS JULIUS “JUJU” BALLO SQAURES OFF AGAINST ROMAN REYES AT FRONTWAVE ARENA ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2026
    , Mon, 23 Mar 2026
  • "I'M A MAN OF MY WORD": GEORGE LIDDARD COMPLETES MATCHROOM BRENTWOOD HALF MARATHON FOR CHARITY – HOURS AFTER DENNY WIN
    , Mon, 23 Mar 2026
  • Lester Martinez Wins WBC Interim World Super Middleweight Championship with Unanimous Decision over Immanuwel Aleem
    , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • IBF Pan Pacific champion Vince Paras set to face unbeaten OPBF champion Aoi Yokoyama in Kyrgyzstan
    , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • King James sets NBA all-time record for most games played
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • Loaded boxing schedule
    By Joaquin Henson, , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • WEIGHTS, IMAGES, RUNNING ORDER AND THE LAST WORDS AHEAD OF ADAMES VS. WILLIAMS IN ORLANDO
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • COPPER BOX ARENA FIGHT NIGHT: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS LIDDARD AND DENNY FACE-OFF FOR FINAL TIME
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Weights From ‘Martinez vs. Aleem’ Event from the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino and Broadcast live on ProBoxTV
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Jordan Orozco Training Camp Notes
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Towns vs. Bordin for PAT Belt; De Barbo, Nancholas, Samiei in Supporting Bouts at Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Pattaya Beach, Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • YOENIS TELLEZ TRAINING CAMP QUOTES
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Lebron James ties the most game played in NBA history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Pichay supports GM Antonio's Australian chess circuit campaign
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • LIDDARD-DENNY PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES IN FULL: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AHEAD OF SATURDAY'S COPPER BOX FIGHT NIGHT
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: The WBC Continues the Fight for the Good of the Sport
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • AMMO: ADAMES FIGHT WILL BE EXPLOSIVE
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Carlos De Leon Training Camp Notes
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • The Highly Anticipated  Box Fan Expo Invitational 2026 Returns with A  USA Boxing Amateur Show
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Placibe, Sales tops Sprint Challenge
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Lester Martinez vs. Immanuwel Aleem Los Angeles Media Day Quotes
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.