Defense was the calling card of these teams during the regular season, with Miami ranked fifth in points allowed and Indiana ranked second. In addition, the Pacers were tops in the NBA in field goal shooting defense allowing just 42% shooting, plus fourth at defending the three-pointer. Miami has won two straight titles and knows that you need defense to win this time of the year. They face an Indiana team that is home and loves to slow the pace down, on a 4-1 run UNDER the total. Miami can play any style, and the UNDER is 9-3 in the Pacers last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. And when these teams meet, the UNDER is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, so look for more defense than oddsmakers anticipate in the opener. Play Miami/Indiana UNDER the Total in Game One.
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