• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Heat aim for 12th straight home win, host Pacers

Mar 10, 2012 - 3:38 PM (Sports Network) - Gunning for their 12th straight win at home, the Miami Heat will entertain the much-improved Indiana Pacers tonight in the finale of a three-game homestand at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Southeast Division-leading Heat have won the first two portions on their homestand and 11 in a row in south Florida. They are 17-2 as the host and recently squeezed past the Atlanta Hawks, 89-86, on Wednesday thanks to a 31- point performance by LeBron James.

James also grabbed 11 rebounds, while Dwyane Wade added 18 points, nine boards and six assists and Chris Bosh contributed nine points and eight rebounds. Miami has won on back-to-back nights after a two-game skid.

"That was ugly there for awhile," said Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra. "We certainly weren't in a great flow offensively. We were able to push through, grind out the game and make some finishing plays on both ends going down the stretch."

After hosting the Pacers, Miami, which has won 11 of 13 games overall, will begin a three-game road trip against the Magic, Bulls and 76ers. The Heat have held 11 of their last 12 opponents under 100 points, and 11 of their last 12 victories have been by double digits.

A win tonight would give the Heat a 31-9 record, marking the best 40-game start in franchise history. The previous best was a 30-10 record to kick off the 2010-11 campaign. Miami hasn't won 12 in a row at home since a 14-game run from Jan. 22-March 16, 2007.

Indiana has dropped two in a row since a season-best six-game winning streak and will begin a tour of Florida tonight against the Heat and Magic.

The well-rested Pacers are coming off Tuesday's 101-96 loss versus Atlanta in which David West scored 24 points and Danny Granger chipped in 19 for Indiana.

"We didn't defend the three well and didn't do a good enough job on the defensive glass," said Indiana head coach Frank Vogel. "I don't think we were ourselves the last two games."

Roy Hibbert finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks against the Hawks. The Pacers saw their four-game home win streak come to and end. They will try to improve on 12-9 record away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse tonight.

Indiana and Miami will play the third of four meetings this season and the Heat have taken the first two and four in a row overall. These two teams will meet again March 26 in Indy. Indiana has lost two straight, nine of 11 and 10 of its last 13 trips to south Florida.