Key injuries shape Eastern Conference playoff race

The Miami Heat have claimed the number one spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs by amassing an insurmountable lead going into the final stretch of the regular season. The Heat have played well this season but would they still be in the same position had it not been for a couple of key injuries suffered by some of their conference foes?

The Chicago Bulls led by Derrick Rose have held the Eastern Conference’s best record for the past two seasons but Rose hasn’t played a single game this season. Without Rose, the Bulls are currently sitting in fifth place in the conference standings.

Pacers’ Danny Granger awoke Miami’s sleeping giant: LeBron James

It’s not like Miami Heat forward LeBron James wasn’t putting up solid statistics against the Indiana Pacers in this series. James averaged 25 points and eight boards in Games 2 and 3 but the Pacers were still able to defeat the Heat who seemed out of rhythm offensively.

Most of Miami’s offensive problems could be traced back to losing forward Chris Bosh to a strained abdomen in Game 1 but Pacers’ forward Danny Granger must have felt that his team’s Game 1 loss was due to them not coming out with enough attitude in that first game.

The curious case of the Pacers’ Darren Collison

What happened to Darren Collison? Collison had a great rookie season playing for the New Orleans Hornets before being traded to the Indiana Pacers two seasons ago.