INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ― Roy Hibbert had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Paul George finished with 28 points, and the Indiana Pacers forced a deciding game in the Eastern Conference finals with a 91-77 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday night.
LeBron James scored 29 points for the defending NBA champions, who will host Game 7 on Monday. Dwyane Wade was limited to just 10 as he and Chris Bosh struggled again.
The Pacers opened the third quarter on a 14-2 run as the Heat went 1 of 11 from the field. Indiana led by 17 late in the third.
Miami got within four before the Pacers pulled away again.
It was everything one would expect from an elimination game. The teams traded jabs, sometimes literally, counterpunched effectively and players ignored the bumps and bruises of yet another physical game in a tough, compelling series.
Both teams attacked the basket with sometimes problematic results. Indiana missed about five dunk attempts in the first half and a series of short jumpers, too, costing them precious points.