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Paul George, Pacers beat LeBron James, Heat in Game 2

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MIAMI — Indiana Pacers forward Paul George may no longer be an emerging star. He might just be a star right now. Did you see that powerful one-handed dunk at the end of the third quarter? And don't forget the big man. Roy Hibbert is bringing back the NBA center position for these playoffs. George had 22 points and six assists and Hibbert added 29 points and 10 rebounds as the Pacers defeated the Miami Heat 97-93 on Friday and tied the Eastern Conference finals at 1-1. "Again, we have a great deal of confidence that we can beat this basketball team" Pacers coach Frank Vogel said before Game 2. BOX SCORE: Pacers 97, Heat 93 SCHEDULE: East, West finals times, TV info The Pacers maintained the confidence even after a crushing Game 1 overtime loss and now go home for the next two games of what is shaping up as an excellent, competitive, down-to-the-final minute series. Game 3 is Sunday in Indianapolis (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT). "You have to win on the road to become a champion," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "We will regroup and learn from what we did." The Pacers overcame an amazing performance from Heat MVP LeBron James, who had 36 points, including 21 in the second half, and eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. But he had two detrimental turnovers in the final minute of the game. He threw the ball away with 42.9 seconds left and the Pacers up 95-93, costing Miami a chance to tie, and he did the same with 8.3 seconds left. "It happens," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "They made two good defensive plays with deflections. I would run that again, if I had the opportunity again. So would LJ. You have to give them credit for active hands. "We had more opportunities than those two, even in transition and a couple of the turnovers and a couple of looks that we took weren't necessarily our best options." RIVALRY: LeBron James, Paul George show each other respect James bemoaned his late-game mistakes. "Can't happen in that situation. especially being down two in a big game," he said. "Very disappointing, of course, for me. ... I am very disappointed in my judgment and my plays down the stretch." The Pacers also erased an 88-84 deficit in the final 5:25, outscoring the Heat 13-5. Miami made just one of its final seven shots and missed all four three pointers it took. "We just have to be little more efficient going down the stretch," Spoelstra said. Hibbert made two baskets and Pacers point guard George Hill, who struggled in Game 1 but had 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals on Friday, made four free throws in the final 48.9 seconds. "I'm not a big guy dwelling on the past," Hill said. "There was nothing I could do after Game 1. Only thing I can do is focus on Game 2. I went to the hotel, had a good meal, relaxed, stayed off my feet and tried to prepare my brain for Game 2." An already fantastic series is laced with intrigue. The Pacers have not lost at home in the playoffs this season (6-0) and beat the Heat both times at home this season. Miami had the best road record in the league this season and are 4-0 in the playoffs. In last season's conference semifinals, the Pacers also won Game 2 in Miami and took Game 3 in Indianapolis for a 2-1 series lead. Miami won the next three games, even without forward Chris Boshm, who was out with a strained abdominal. "BALL DON'T LIE": Pacers assistant channels Rasheed Wallace How much have the Pacers grown since then? How much resolve do the Heat have? "Our backs are against the wall, and this is what we need right now," Bosh said. "Playoffs are about adversity." The Pacers share the same belief as their coach. "Our confidence hasn't wavered, hasn't changed," Pacers forward David West said. We know they are a great team. They are the best team in the NBA. It's going to be a fight for us to win every single game." George punctuated the end of the third Miami's bench and its three-point shooters struggled for the second consecutive game. Guards R...