Column: Game 7 sets up David vs. Goliath matchup for the ages

NBA Commissioner David Stern and league executives have to be riddled with fear.

When the dust settled on Saturday evening’s Game 6 matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat, the teams found themselves deadlocked at three games apiece, with a pivotal Game 7 set for Monday night at American Airlines Arena.

The Heat, the NBA’s rating kings, were pegged as overwhelming favorites to dispatch the Pacers and advance to their third consecutive NBA Finals.

And that’s what will make Monday’s Game 7 such a spectacle.

Should Indiana defeat the Heat and megastar LeBron James, the NBA would be faced with a matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and the Pacers, a ratings nightmare for the league.

But shouldn’t that be satisfying to not only Pacers fans, but to NBA fans as a whole?

Despite the aesthetic beauty of James’ game — perhaps the most integral selling point for the league — the masses view him and his team as an evil empire.

James has become public enemy No. 1, making a potential early exit from the playoffs such a compelling storyline.

To make matters worse, James and his teammates wholly understand that the pressure is squarely on their shoulders, but such is the life for defending champions.
And they couldn’t have asked for a peskier, undying opponent.

As has been the typical nature of this Eastern Conference Finals matchup, the team with its back against the wall has responded with a profound sense of urgency and aggressiveness, which the Pacers displayed at Bankers Life Fieldhouse during an eventual 91-77 victory Saturday evening.

How the team responds to evening the series is paramount, and will be a popular topic of discussion, win or lose.

With momentum on their side, the Pacers must take advantage of the predicament the Heat find themselves in.

James has become a one-man show, as Chris Bosh has been nonexistent against Roy Hibbert, and Dwyane Wade has been playing on one leg. The two combined for just 15 points in Game 6, reminding fans of the days when James was forced to be a hero night after night with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The circumstances have set the table for what will be, perhaps, one of the most memorable game sevens in league history.

Yet the most effective way to describe what will transpire in Game 7 is a David and Goliath comparison.

Here, we have James, who has been pushed to the brink, against a group of players with no star power. Sure, Paul George’s name is increasing in popularity exponentially with each graceful scoring performance, but the average NBA fan still doesn’t have the slightest clue who he is.

Outside of Indiana, the Pacers are viewed as a team of no names who have overachieved at maximum efficiency. But with a victory in Game 7, that perception would quickly fade.

But that’s not the only outcome of a win.

The Pacers would put a lasting dent in the legacy and image of LeBron James and the so-called “dynasty” of his Heat team.

So prepare yourself, Mr. Stern. David is on the verge of defeating Goliath and throwing a wrench in the inner workings of the NBA.

­— ckillore@indiana.edu