HEAT Expecting Tough Defense from Pacers

“(Roy) Hibbert is very, very good in protecting the rim,” Heat superstar LeBron James said after practice at AmericanAirlines Arena Saturday morning. “They have a lot of two-way guys; George Hill is very solid; Paul George is one of the best two-way guys we have in the league. Lance Stephenson is very good.

“Their [team] is predicated around defense. I’ve been around Nate McMillan with the Olympic team and I know how passionate he is about the defensive side of things. People never bring up his name, but I know he’s the catalyst behind it.”

While Hibbert and his regular-season 2.3 blocks-per-game often dissuade or alter James and Dwyane Wade’s forays to the basket, Hill, the long-armed Stephenson and 6-9 George patrol the 3-point line like an army of Spider-Men.

via Harvery Fialkov of the Los Angeles Times