The seasons for the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers come down to Monday night. Indiana split the series with LeBron James and the Heat on Saturday, forcing a Game 7. Miami has the chance now to advance to the NBA Finals for the third straight year, while Indiana is on the cusp of its first-ever finals appearance.
Game 7 tipoff is on Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET. You can watch it HERE.
The enormity of the situation hasn't escaped James.
"Each and every year there are 30 teams that would love to be a part of this, to have one game to advance to the NBA Finals," he told reporters. "And there's two teams that's in this position. And it's something that you can't substitute, this feeling. You can't substitute the atmosphere that we're going to be in on Monday night for both teams. We should all cherish this moment."
James and the Heat's efforts on Saturday weren't enough to close the series. Indiana fought for their playoff lives at home, and they ultimately won Game 6, 91-77.
"It is a closeout game and an elimination game," Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "Our approach right now is not if we lose we're out - our approach is if we win, we get to the finals. And that's what we're going for. We're going to give our best shot and try to win the Eastern Conference Championship."
Both teams have alternated wins throughout the series, and history suggests the odds of winning are in Miami's favor, the Associated Press reports. It doesn't help that the Pacers have to win in a jam-packed American Airlines Arena.
"It's going to be tough in their arena," Pacers guard Lance Stephenson said. "We've just got to bring it. If we play aggressive like we do at home, we can get the 'W.'"
