Nobody could ever have imagined Chris Andersen's absence would play a role in an NBA playoff game. But that's the case for the Miami Heat.
According to a tweet from SportsCenter, the Birdman has been suspended for Game 6 against the Indiana Pacers following a shove of Tyler Hansbrough:
His performance off the bench has been vital for the Heat. For the series, Andersen has averaged 7.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 18.4 minutes a game. Without the Birdman on the offensive end, Miami wouldn't have a big man to spell Chris Bosh.
Chris Bosh has performed so well at the 5, but that's due in part to having somebody like Andersen whom Miami can bring off the bench. The Birdman brings a solid offensive game and tons of energy at both ends of the court.
Now the Heat are going to have to rely on Joel Anthony to come off the bench. Miami fans probably shudder every time that name is spoken.
Anthony has only averaged 1.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in the 62 games in which he's played this season. His PER is a whopping 10.4, which is actually the highest of his career. But that's probably down to ho ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Joseph Zucker
Heat vs Pacers: Losing Chris Andersen Will Prove Costly for Miami in Game 6
June 1st, 2013 by Joseph Zucker Leave a reply »
Advertisement