2014 NBA Playoffs: Roy Hibbert emerges when Pacers need him most

Pacers 86, Wizards 82 (Series tied 1-1)
Roy Hibbert: 28 points (10-13 FG,) 9 rebounds, 2 blocks
Marcin Gortat: 21 points (10-15 FG,) 11 rebounds

Roy Hibbert's 2014 NBA Playoff experience has simply been a disastrous whirlwind, as he's registered a number of lowly performances for a player that was named an NBA all-star. His statistical shortcomings have been well documented, and subject to mocking from former NBA stars Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas, in addition to the faithful patrons on forums and other forms of social media.

The Pacers dreaded the thought of being down 2-0 in the eastern conference semifinals, and having to march into Washington D.C. to play a third and fourth game in front of what is sure to be psychotic Wizards crowd.

Roy Hibbert's 28 point, 9 rebound and 2 block performance ensured Indiana a tie in the series at 1-1, and an improved sense of confidence as the series changes scenery to the nation's capital.

In his previous four games, Hibbert's output was downright embarrassing and laughable, as he totaled 13 points, 6 made field goals and 9 rebounds in a total of 73 minutes. In three of those four games, Hibbert remained scoreless, parked on the bench, head hung low and his confidence in shambles.

His body language reeked of doubt and worry, as he became the subject of much scrunity and criticism. Many of those in the realm of social media called for the benching of Roy, and other analysts and media outlets beckoned for the Pacers to play what has seemingly become the norm in the association in "small ball."

The Pacers however, vowed never to abandon their all-star, even as he became the first player since the 1960's to be named an all-star in the regular season and not score in back to back postseason contests.

After the Pacers were trumped 102-96 in game one of the semis, Paul George exclaimed "we really need Roy Hibbert, and we need him now."

Tonight, Hibbert answered George's call, but one has to wonder if Roy will turn into a reliable interior figure for the remainder of the postseason? Roy produced an all-star performance tonight, but the superstars in this league make these type of marquee performances a consistent thing throughout the regular season and playoffs.

The former Georgetown Hoya acknowledged his ongoing battle with consistency, as he stated post game "I just want to string a few games together. Consistency hasn't been my biggest friend this year." For Hibbert and especially the Pacers, improving their rocky relationship with the concept of consistency isn't such a bad idea, even if it's coming at such a late juncture in the season.

From Washington's standpoint, they will live with Hibbert's breakout performance, as they surly do not fear a Roy Hibbert eccentric offense as much as they fear a Paul George and or Lance Stephenson eccentric offense that is sure to present big plays and some perimeter magic. 

George and Stephenson both struggled tonight, going 5-13 and 3-12 respectively, but they both hit key buckets when their ballclub needed them most.

Most importantly, they provided Hibbert with a flicker of hope and a temporary sense of confidence. They actively looked for Hibbert, who maintained aggressiveness all night long. He punished the Wizard's defense with quick striking, powerful moves. 
He was as impressive as he's been all postseason and possibly since the all-star break, as Indiana looks to break out of the lengthy lull they've been in, and hit a stride that will allow fans to recognize them as the true title contender many thought them to be at the beginning of the 2013-14 regular season.

For too long, the Pacers have flirted with an unexpected early playoff flameout. They have come frighteningly close with the prospect of waltzing off into a summer of frustration and an intense irateness. 

With every fantastic Hibbert performance, the Pacers will continue to distance themselves from this horrific notion. Tonight at Banker's Life Fieldhouse the crowd and world got their first glimpse of this fact. Hibbert's energy was at it's zenith, and his dominance was in full force. 

Roy may not ever possess the offensive wit that makes Tim Duncan one of the greatest players of all time. He may never leave imprints on a game physically or athletically like Dwight Howard is able to on a nightly basis. Hibbert may never hone his skills, and add a sleek and impressive polish to his game such as Blake Griffin has been able to.

What Hibbert can do is continue to work hard and  be thankful for the opportunity afforded to him. Under any other circumstance, a coach would've yanked Hibbert from the starting unit, and sat him on the bench as the playoff wars waged on.

Frank Vogel, under an intense amount of pressure from the media and even those in Indiana's front office, stood by his convictions and it finally proved to pay off. Roy Hibbert blocked out all the uncertainty tonight and showcased a great deal of promise for this Pacers squad.

He exerted maximum energy on the defensive end, and his eagerness to succeed along with his assertive nature resulted in a buzz worthy performance.

Will Hibbert continue to produce like this going forward? Truth be told, seeing this type of production out of Roy on a nightly basis would be a pleasant and welcomed surprised for Indy. But, if Roy can mimic this performance in the slightest bit, the glimmer of hope for Indiana's championship run just got much bigger and brighter. 

Roy Hibbert vowed to be more aggressive in game two. He answered the call, and exceeded all expectations. Even though it's just one game and one night, this is a huge stepping stone for Roy and this Pacers team. Has the giant finally awoken from his extended slumber? Where Indiana end's up finishing this season may be the perfect indicator for this. But for now, Hibbert must continue to take it one game at a time. 

Is this the beginning of a string of dominant performances for Hibbert, or simply just a fluke? Share thoughts and opinions with me on Twitter (@wcboyer24) and continue to support The Basketball Society. 

Are the Miami Heat being plagued by their own "March Madness?"

The month of March has not been great to the defending NBA champions. Their record in the month is currently 7-8, and Wednesday night they suffered a gut-wrenching loss to their bitter rivals, the Indiana Pacers. Is Miami vulnerable? Are their lackluster performances the product of mental and physical fatigue that is sure to come in the pursuit of a third straight NBA championship? Or, is Miami simply saving what they have left in the tank to blitz through the eastern conference when playoff time rolls around? If they have to roll through Indiana in the playoffs, that forceful blitz may be transformed into a humble stagger, because as of right now the battle for eastern conference supremacy would go through Indiana and the deranged Pacers crowd.

What's the reasoning behind Miami's seemingly lackadaisical play? One could accredit injuries as the reason they have been faltering as of late. LeBron James has complained of issues with his back and ankle. Dwyane Wade's availability has been sporadic due to lingering issues with his knees, and has recently been nagged by an Achilles issue. It's tough to sustain health throughout a full 82 game season, but where Miami can succeed is sharpness mentally. The best teams may go through stretches where they are hammered by ticky-tack injuries, but they never feel a chink in the armor mentally. That's what propels them to success. The greatest teams never folly in terms of execution, game planning or focus. It's possible the Heat are being crippled by a sense of boredom, or, they aren't the same team they were last year.

Whatever lull MIA is going through, it's evident through statistics that it's impacting
their record significantly. In the month of March, the Heat are allowing their opponents to shoot 46.1% from the field, 36.6% from three, and are giving up 11.3 offensive rebounds per game. They have given up 170 offensive rebounds through their 15 games in March. In this month,  Miami has allowed teams to score 100+ points on 7 different occasions. In the month of February, the Heat only allowed the opposition to score 100+ 3 times. In Miami's 8 March losses, they are allowing the
opposition to snag down 41 RPG, and allowing the opposition to shoot 40.8% from the three point line. Miami's defensive rotations have been off. The crispiness and fierceness that their defense usually plays with has been absent and teams are starting to figure out how to combat their blitzing scheme. Is this as vulnerable as we have seen the Miami Heat? Is the cloak of invincibility finally being stripped away? If they plan to recapture the magic that makes them such a fearing foe, it extends further than LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh's brilliance. They need help from the role players that make their offense and defense so fluent and ripe.

In March, Miami's role players have been playing horrific basketball. With the exception of Ray Allen, who has upped his PPG and shooting percentages in the month of March (11.9 PPG, 46.7% FG, 41.1% 3PT) Miami's "other guys" have been extremely unreliable. Shane Battier, known for his defensive prowess, sharp basketball mind, and ability to make important plays has been abysmal this month. Battier is averaging 2 PPG on 25% from the field and 22.2% from behind the arc. When mentioning Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole it doesn't get much more promising. Chalmers is averaging 8.2 PPG on 38.3% from the field, and Cole is providing Miami with 4.5 PPG on 35.6% from the field and 32.1% from downtown. If Miami wants to sustain the fluency that makes them such a potent offensive and defensive force, these guys must step up. With each ache of James' back. With each tweak of Wade's knee, these guys must provide Miami with some type of production to alleviate the heavy pressure that Wade and LeBron are under to play a near perfect basketball game.

The Miami Heat aren't concerned about home court advantage in the playoffs. The eons of experience they have, the focus they possess won't waver due to the experiences they have gone through since the establishment of the "Big Three." There isn't a stipulation they haven't faced: wild crowds on the road, a flurry of boos, an immense amount of hatred are all things the Heat have not only become accustomed to, but have utilized to further motivate them in their championship pursuit. They are capable of winning on the road in the most hostile environment. For Indiana, the story is completely different. Indiana hopes to be the ones representing the eastern conference in the championship round in June, and while this thought is feasible without the assurance of home court, it becomes even more realistic knowing things go through Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana is younger and plays with a plethora of emotion, but outbursts such as the one Lance Stephenson had last night won't be tolerated on the road. At home, Indiana can play loosely, with a lot more freedom and higher spirits. Home court reinforces a bevy of positive notions for Indiana, allowing them possibly to reconstruct the way we view who is truly the powerhouse in the eastern conference. Although both teams are sluggish right now, a matchup in the ECF seems inevitable. Hopefully for Miami, this "March Madness" they are enduring right now, turns into "May Misery" for the Indiana Pacers as MIA hopes to waltz to their 4th straight NBA Finals as they attempt to claim a 3rd straight championship.

Is Miami's lackadaisical play a legitimate concern? Or are they just saving their energy for the deep playoff push they hope to have? Hit me on Twitter with your thoughts and comments (@wcboyer24) and as always, continue to support The Basketball Society.