Darren Collison News

Although it was in a season where some of the Easern Conference elite were struggling through injuries, the Indiana Pacers emerged as a threat in the powerful top half of the East.

Wade scored 41 points, LeBron James chipped in 28 and the Heat finished off the Indiana Pacers, locking up a return trip to the Eastern Conference finals with a 105-93 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night.

First off I would like to congratulate the Pacers for a tremendous season. They far exceeded any expectations by anyone.

After Miami's bloody, violent smackdown of Indiana in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday, Pacers president Larry Bird told the Indianapolis Star that his team was "soft" : "I can't believe my team went soft," Bird said on the phone.

For the Pacers, it's a case of opportunity gained and lost. Or, to put it in a way that only Indianapolis can understand, they had an early lead on the racetrack and just got lapped.

Each week, we'll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day - and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

"That's a strong word," the superstar said. Perhaps, but facing the prospect of a third consecutive loss in their Eastern Conference semifinals set with Indiana, James and the Heat needed a win and any adjective used to describe how badly they needed it was inconsequential.

When this season started, if someone said that the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers would be tied 2-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals most people would laugh it off.

March 13, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert laughs with Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison and Indiana Pacers small forward Danny Granger at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Indianapolis, IN, United States - Dwyane Wade bounced back from a so-so performance in Game 3 and LeBron James recorded a near triple-double as Miami's power duo guided the Heat to a 101-93 victory against the Indiana Pacers and tie the series at 2-2 Sunday in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference second round series.

On a sunny Midwestern afternoon made for strolling across a campus, Dwyane Wade went back to college.

If you've noticed a change for the better in Roy Hibbert's game this season and during the NBA playoffs, you can thank Spurs star center Tim Duncan for that, The Indianapolis Star reports .

A former NBA Finals MVP and league scoring champion, Wade played perhaps the worst game of his professional career against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.

At some point Thursday night, Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert's cellphone probably vibrated -- like it has after all of his playoff games -- giving the indication of a text message.

Indiana Pacers guard Paul George, right, celebrates with guard Darren Collison as the Miami Heat called a timeout during the second half of Game 3 of their NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series in Indianapolis, Thursday, May 17, 2012.

It's really easy to underestimate Larry Bird. Maybe it's what he likes to call his "Southern Indiana bull twang." Maybe it's the way he murders the English language.

After watching strictly from the bench for three consecutive games, backup point guard Norris Cole not only saw some action for the Heat in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals against the Pacers - he played 17 minutes.

Before I dive too deep, let's make this clear: I'm not a D-Wade hater and don't intend to go on a smear campaign, but the facts need to be presented.

It looks bad, and appears a bit like Jason Smith's wild lurch into Blake Griffin , a hit that resulted in a two-game suspension.

Best Giveaway Night ever was at the AAA in Miami Tuesday Night. A Random Pacers fans were selected to play 48 minutes of Playoff Basketball with the HEAT in front of a sell-out crowd, and if they won they get an all-expenses paid trip back to Miami to do it again! Cynical, yes.