Miami Heat

Chris Bosh’s absence hurts Miami Heat’s ability to score

Miami couldn’t find a replacement for Chris Bosh, causing the team to lose home-court advantage.

Heat notebook

Miami Heat’s LeBron James takes on big load when playing power forward

Though LeBron James is willing to play any position where he’s needed, he admitted before Game 2 on Tuesday that logging significant minutes at power forward takes a toll.

MIAMI HEAT

Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh: ‘The season has to be extended for me to play again’

Miami Heat forward-center Chris Bosh said he is ‘not sure’ when he will return but has begun treatment for a strained abdominal muscle.

IN MY OPINION

Adversity will test the Miami Heat with Chris Bosh’s absence

When it comes right down to it, something big enough to consume an entire city — a franchise’s well-laid plans, a team’s championship dream, the hopes of a million fans — stands fragile on porcelain legs. Everything is breakable, separated from collapse by dumb luck or whatever mood fate happens to be in.

Miami Heat Notebook

Miami Heat’s Udonis Haslem noticeably absent in recent fourth quarters

During key fourth-quarter moments, Udonis Haslem usually is more likely to be on the floor than any Heat player excluding the Big 3. But Haslem, an asset as a rebounder and defender, has not played at all in each of the past two fourth quarters and has not snapped out of his puzzling seasonlong shooting slump.

Indiana Pacers | offense

Untimely cold stretch is costly for Indiana Pacers’ Danny Granger

Danny Granger, the Pacers’ leading scorer this season, had a poor game, and Indiana went the final 4:40 without a field goal.

NBA Eastern Conference semifinals | Heat 95, Pacers 86 (Heat leads series 1-0)

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James lead Miami Heat to victory over Indiana Pacers in Game 1

LeBron James scored 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in his first game as a three-time MVP, and Dwyane Wade added 29 in the Game 1 win.

Heat | Chris Bosh Injury

Miami Heat’s Ronny Turiaf, Joel Anthony fill void for injured Chris Bosh

When Chris Bosh left Game 1 with a lower abdominal injury, the Heat’s other big men filled in very capably.

Heat Notebook

NBA cries foul on Pacers coach Vogel’s complaints about refs

NBA commissioner David Stern said Pacers coach Frank Vogel was “manipulating the referees or trying to” when he called the Heat the NBA’s biggest flopping team.

Game 1 | Pacers at Heat, 3:30 p.m. Sunday, ABC

Miami Heat-Indiana Pacers series: Star-power vs. team function

The Pacers’ blue-collar approach, led by coach Frank Vogel, will serve as a polar opposite to the Heat — led by MVP LeBron James.

In My Opinion

Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade willing to cede spotlight to new MVP LeBron James

The quiet, under-recognized lynchpin of this Heat season and its championship direction has been the ability — but first the willingness — of Dwyane Wade to step aside for the first time in his Miami career and let this team be LeBron James’.

Miami Heat

LeBron James wins third MVP, first for Miami Heat

Heat star LeBron James became one of only eight players in NBA history to earn at least three Most Valuable Player Awards.

Miami Heat

Breaking down the series: Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

Heat: Usually, the only thing Consistency and Mario Chalmers have in common is they’re both alphabetized under “C.” Yet, in the first round, Chalmers ability to drain a three-pointer at the right time put the staggering Knicks on the mat. His defense will be more important in this series. He averaged 9.0 points and 25.0 minutes per game against the Pacers this season, just 0.8 points and 3.5 minutes under his overall regular season averages.

Miami Heat

Building Miami Heat no easy task for Pat Riley

Contrary to the opinion of Pacers center Roy Hibbert, the Heat did work hard to build its current team, said Heat president Pat Riley on Saturday.

Source: Miami Heat’s LeBron James to win NBA’s MVP award

Miami Heat forward LeBron James’ sterling second season in Miami will result in his third Most Valuable Player award.

Eastern conference playoffs | (2) Heat vs. (3) pacers, Game 1, 3:30 p.m. Sunday, abc

Miami Heat’s Bosh motivated by Pacers’ flopping accusations

Pacers coach Frank Vogel didn’t back off his belief that the Heat roster is full of floppers, but center Chris Bosh wasn’t having any of it.

Miami Heat

Indiana Pacers take preemptive strike against Miami Heat

The Heat’s second-round series against the Pacers hasn’t even begun yet, but Indiana on Thursday launched a verbal attack at Miami.

IN MY OPINION

Miami Heat makes the only statement that matters – winning

Heat players were given a dramatic, almost militaristic framework for the job that faced them Wednesday, with allusions to displays of power and defending home turf.

HEAT 106, KNICKS 94 | HEAT WINS SERIES 4-1

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade play role of closers as Miami Heat advances

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were finishers in Game 5 as the Heat ousted the Knicks. Game 1 against the Pacers is 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Miami.

Notebook

Miami Heat gets plenty in reserve during Game 5

The Heat’s bench receives such derision, such scrutiny at times that Charles Barkley cracked at halftime Wednesday, “I didn’t even know they had a bench. If Miami’s bench plays well against you, that lets you know you have issues. That’s one of their weaknesses.”