Determining Factors of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals

LeBron James and Paul George - both the leaders of their
respective teams that will clash tonight in what should be
the most intense and hard fought game of the playoffs

Well, it's been a hard fought series and just when we thought that 1 team would pull away, the other responded right back. The Pacers Heat series has been fantastic and will come to an epic conclusion tonight night. What makes this series so special is that neither team has won 2 consecutive games. [Just a quick note, I'm going to stop making lists and rankings and stuff like that for a while, I don't want to be that person who wants to seem smart by stating the obvious.] Here are the determining factors of this
game 7:

Chris "Birdman" Andersen will have a HUGE impact
on the outcome of tonight's epic matchup

Birdman's Contributions - Since Miami signed Chris Andersen, they've been deadly. Though he's not the highlight reel he one was, his motor and defensive presence have anchored the Heat's second unit throughout the regular and post-season. Even if his stats don't show it, Birdman is invaluable. However, Birdman has always been criticized due to his overly-aggressive play. This was showcased in game 5, where he threw Tyler Hansborough to the ground and was later suspended a game. Naturally, the Heat were outscored 44-22 in the paint the next game, and lost 91-77 which brings me to my next point.

Rebounding Margin - In game 6, Indiana creamed Miami on the boards. They had 20 more rebounds than Miami. While the Pacers usually win the rebound battle, a plus-20 margin almost ensures a victory.Both teams will be counting on their bigs to haul down boards at a massive rate.

Which Lance Stephenson will we see? - When Lance Stephenson is performing well, Indiana is a deadly team. Stephenson has been Jekyll and Hyde all series though. In game 6, Stephenson scored

3 pf the most crucial players in this series wrapped up into 1 picture
as Lance Stephenson goes up for a tough layup against Dwayne Wade
and Chris Bosh, the Heat's 2 underperforming stars

only 4 points, but pulled down 12 rebounds [not bad for a 6'5 combo-guard]. Not only has he been a phenomenal rebounder for his size, nut Lance is also great at attacking the rim. In games 2 and 4 [both Pacers' wins] Stephenson scored 10 and 20 points, respectively [also grabbing a combined 13 rebounds]. However; in all 3 losses, Stephenson has combined for only 17 points. Not so good. We'll see which Stephenson

Will Wade and Bosh play like the stars they're supposed to be? -  Lately, it seems as though Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh have been mere shells of their regular-season selves. In game 6, Wade had 10 points on 3-11 shooting while Bosh had 5 points on 1-8 shooting. If this type of play holds up. It will be LeBron's Cavs [only more magnified].  As good as James is, I don't know if he can will his way to an NBA title without a supreme running-mate. Jordan had his Pippen, Magic had his Kareem [or vice versa however you want to look at it], Wilt had his Jerry West [or vice versa once again] and even [in this postseason] Paul George has his Roy Hibbert.  Who's LeBron's wing man? Thus far it appears to be Norris Cole, that just won't cut it against a defensively stout Indiana Pacers club.

Projected Winner - Indiana Pacers: The stars are aligned for Indy to make its move and shock the world on the shoulders of Paul George and Roy Hibbert.