Now the Pacers have a fighting chance to pull off a stunning playoff upset.
He played with a fighter's mentality and gave the Pacers one more shot at the champs.
The Pacers actually have a stockpile of complementary threats to back up leading scorer Paul George.
On top of that, New York got another crack at the Pacers without Hibbert.
Notes: The Pacers are 4-0 at home with an average victory margin of 16.5 points.
And the decision, which gave the Knicks a chance to regroup, cost the Pacers dearly.
Game 6 will be played in Atlanta, where the Pacers have lost 13 straight.
The Heat hadn't lost since the Pacers beat them in Indianapolis on Feb. 1.
The Pacers needed every ounce of effort and more to hold off the hard-charging Bulls.
The Pacers have limited nine straight opponents to fewer than 100 points inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The Pacers had to be happy to be within arm's reach of the Knicks through one half.
But instead of faltering, as the Pacers did in Game 2, they thrived on New York's miscues.
Anthony got the Knicks off to a quick start and the Pacers could never get particularly close.
The Pacers took advantage, building a 32-21 lead after one quarter and still leading 47-40 at halftime.
And without the Knicks having a primary scorer on the floor, the Pacers (33-21) stormed further ahead.
The Pacers' 99-92 victory Tuesday was filled with physical plays and marked by a combined 55 personal fouls.
Two days after shooting 54.5 percent against the Pacers, Miami was just 30 of 77 for 39 percent.
Augustin replaced him and scored 12 points but had no assists in a sloppy performance by the Pacers.
And not coincidentally, those games, in which Anthony shot a combined 18-for-45 (40%), were also against the Pacers.
They'll likely be favored to beat the Pacers, who own the league's best defense, in the second round.
The Heat have two southpaws (Chris Bosh and Joel Anthony), the Spurs one (Manu Ginobili) and the Pacers none.
The Pacers outrebounded the Knicks 44-30 on Sunday in their 102-95 victory in the opener of the second-round series.
Back when second-round appearances were the norm in New York, the Pacers were a regular rival in the spring.
The Pacers have shot 37 percent from 3-point range, the Heat 34 percent.
Confidence is not exactly in short supply around the Pacers right now, either.
The Heat have shot 47 percent from the field, the Pacers 46 percent.
The Pacers were certainly glad they didn't have to return to Indianapolis for a decisive game against the Hawks.
The Pacers will return to South Florida for Game 1 on Wednesday night.
Paul George had 23 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Pacers.
Miami led by nine after the opening quarter, the second-largest deficit the Pacers faced after 12 minutes all season.
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