Lance Stephenson after Pacers Game 1 win: ‘We just have to bring it to them’

Stephenson posted 17 points, eight assists and four rebounds as the Pacers shot 51.5 per cent as a team and shocked the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals 107-96.

George Hill, left, and Lance Stephenson, right, shown during Indiana's Game 1 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Andy Lyons / Getty Images / AFP / May 18, 2014

Eastern Conference finals, Game 1

Pacers 107, Heat 96 (Pacers lead series 1-0)

The Pacers waited all season for the play-off rematch with Miami.

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, they made the wait worthwhile.

Paul George and David West helped Indiana stagger the two-time defending NBA champs early, knock them out late and take the opener in the best-of-seven series 107-96 on Sunday.

“All season, we’ve been waiting for the opportunity to be where we’re at right now. They’re the champs and we just have to bring it to them,” Lance Stephenson said. “We have to think Pacers basketball and be the first on the floor.”

These teams certainly are well-acquainted.

The home team won each of the four previous meetings this season – by six points, three points and one point before Miami’s 98-86 “blowout” last month. Last season, Indiana won two of the three regular-season contests – both at home – before succumbing in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals at Miami. In 2011/12, the Pacers went 1-3 against Miami in the regular season but had the eventual world champs on the ropes after taking a 2-1 lead in the conference semi-finals. The Heat rallied to win the final three.

On Sunday, the Pacers ignored history and played their most complete game in months.

Indiana were so dominant that they finished with their highest point total this post-season, never let Miami take the lead and never even allowed the Heat to get within one possession after George Hill scored the first five points in the game’s first 40 seconds.

At times, the Heat looked befuddled and frustrated – just like the Pacers planned.

“We know these guys and we’re pretty familiar with them,” West said after finishing with 19 points and seven rebounds. “I thought our resolve and play-off style of ball was where it needed to be.”

Now Indiana have a chance to do something they couldn’t in either of their last two play-off series against the Heat – take a 2-0 lead. Game 2 is Tuesday in Indy.

And Miami have plenty of work to do before then.

While LeBron James finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Dwyane Wade had 27 points and five assists, the rest of the Heat starters combined for 18 points, six rebounds and nine assists.

The Pacers, meanwhile, had six players in double figures including Paul George, who had 24 points and seven assists, West with 19 points and seven rebounds, Roy Hibbert with 19 points and nine rebounds and Stephenson with 17 points and eight assists.

Miami also were a dismal 6-of-23 on three-pointers, had just four offensive rebounds, allowed the Pacers to shoot 51.5 per cent from the field and make six of their first seven threes and sent them to the free-throw line 37 times. And James made his only two free throws of the game.

“It’s a matchup collectively that we have to figure out,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The challengers in this matchup insist they know it’s only a start.

“There’s nothing to celebrate. It’s not like we won a championship. It’s one game,” Hill said. “Yes, it was good, but if we come out and lay an egg on Tuesday, this game doesn’t mean anything.”

Indiana swarmed the glass, exploited their size advantage, knocked down six of their first seven three-pointers and never allowed the Heat to catch up.

When the Heat cut a 10-point, first-quarter deficit to 41-37 midway through the second quarter, Stephenson scored four points in a 5-0 run to make it 46-37. When James trimmed it to 50-45 with back-to-back baskets late in the quarter, the Pacers ended the half with five straight points to make it 55-45.

Hibbert and West then combined to score eight of Indiana’s first 14 points to open the second half, pushing the lead to 69-52.

James and Wade rallied the Heat within 83-74 early in the fourth, but the Pacers opened it up again to lead 102-84 with 4:11 to go.

“Our pick-and-roll coverage had a lot of breakdowns, including myself,” James said. “I broke down a few times defensively and we allowed them to get into the paint. We had some breakdowns throughout the game and that’s what resulted in us losing this game.”

Now comes the hard part for Indiana – duplicating this effort in Round 2.

“We’ve been complacent many times. We just can’t get complacent,” George said. “We’ve got to stay humbled off this win and come in with the same mind-set that we have to get another one.”