MIAMI _ This was another example of the relentless exercise that the top of Eastern Conference has become.
Even without sidelined Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo, the Indiana Pacers pushed the Miami Heat to the limit Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, before the Heat pushed back for a 113-112 victory secured on a Goran Dragic basket with 6.8 seconds to play.
After splitting a pair of previous games with the Philadelphia 76ers, who visit Saturday night, losing in Boston, winning in overtime in Toronto and winning in overtime in Milwaukee, the Heat got their latest lesson in just how intense this six-team free-for-all at the top of the East has become.
The victory improved the Heat to a league-best 14-1 at home.
Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 20 points, with Duncan Robinson adding 18 and Bam Adebayo closing with an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double.
Down nine earlier, the Heat moved to a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter, with the Pacers then moving back ahead 103-102 midway through the final period, as Butler waited to check back in.
Consecutive baskets by Robinson and Butler later put the Heat ahead, 109-108, with 2:21 left, with an Adebayo layup later putting the Heat up, 111-110.
With a chance to extend their lead, the Heat instead were whistled for an offensive foul on Butler with 1:10 left.
The Heat followed with another defensive stop, with Butler then off with a driving layup that spun out, before a driving floater by T.J. Warren putting Indiana back up 112-111 with 30.8 seconds to play.
Off a wild scramble that included a pair of Heat misses, Dragic then scored his 9-foot shot to close out the scoring.
A miss by Indiana's Edmond Sumner followed, as time expired.
