Mar 10, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers (15) is pressured by Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Miami won 105-91.Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Beating the Miami Heat isn’t exactly solving the Rubik’s cube or putting together a jigsaw puzzle. But like both things, it can be solved with the proper direction and following a pattern of how to do things.  Roy Hibbert fits into that pattern of beating the Miami Heat.  He’s a big man that can pound the ball inside, and score some points. It’s important that Indiana Pacers look to Roy Hibbert early, so he can make some shots and getting going.  There’s no doubt that he looked very aggressive at times against the New York Knicks, and I strongly believe he could have some breakout games against the Miami Heat as long as he’s fed the ball, and able to score.  It’s important for him to make it count when he gets the ball.  No missing the easy shots, and just working to the rim is the best way to attack the Heat inside.

Defensively, Hibbert will have to be huge as well. It’s key for him to be straight up with the arms when guys come into the lane, and he’s attempting to block the shot. The Pacers can’t lose Hibbert due to foul trouble as he’s that big body in the middle that can keep Lebron James and company from attacking the rim.  I know James will be in that mind set, and Hibbert has to defend the goal like a goalie.  Stopping shots as they’re coming into him. Making the arms like they’re a goalie stick and swatting the ball away.  How’s that for some melding of two sport worlds?  Hibbert is such a defensive presence that having him on the floor protecting the rim makes life easier on that end.

Overall, it’s all about the confidence level with Hibbert.  You want him in that aggressive mode, and looking to score, defend, and play an all around great game.  He’s going to get rebounds or make it available for other guys by tipping the ball out. On the offensive end, he was huge against the New York Knicks on that offensive glass.   He needs to be just as good if the Pacers aren’t making shots, and he’s able to get second, third, fourth opportunities for the Pacers.  He’s great on the offensive glass, so that has to be big tonight.  If Hibbert can get going, I think the Pacers have a great shot at stealing game one. It will only be one game, but it could go a long way in seeing how the series will play out. It’s like finding that final jigsaw puzzle piece, and you stand back to look at how all the pieces fit.  Hibbert is like that final piece that can make the picture a fantastic looking one.

Tomorrow, the two teams kick off another seven-game series, this time in the Eastern Conference finals. Some of the context is the same. The Heat, now defending champions, are favored again and possess the home-court advantage. The series boasts Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Eric Spoelstra versus Roy Hibbert, Paul George, and Frank Vogel. And like last year, the overblown “war of words” has begun.

But as we would expect, there are differences this time around, too. Here are a few of the main ones:

1. The Danny Granger injury. The Pacers have been so productive without him that’s it’s easy to forget that they’re playing without their best scorer from a year ago. Granger didn’t have a great series against the Heat last year, but he did take up a lot of attention from Lebron James and the Heat, attention that this year will probably go toward the Paul George.

It will be interesting to see what kind of role the Miami Heat’s Ray Allen plays in the NBA Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers.

2. The health of Chris Bosh. Last year, as you may recall, the Heat’s center and part of “the big three,” Chris Bosh missed most of the series with an injury. It definitely made things more interesting, but the Heat were able to get enough contributions from elsewhere to get the job done. Unless something changes, Bosh will be healthy this year. Against the Chicago Bulls, Bosh played a lot of minutes, scored in double digits in every game except one, and shot four for eight from three-point range. But that doesn’t mean he can guard Roy Hibbert. The two are very different kinds of players, and it should be interesting to watch.

3. The presence of Ray Allen. A year ago, Allen was preparing to take on the Heat as a member of the Boston Celtics. This time around, he plays for the Heat. Let’s be honest, Allen isn’t what he used to but he can still shoot the rock. He averages double figures in points on 40% shooting from 3-point land. Insert that kind of specialty into a lineup with the likes of James, Wade, and Bosh, and you’ve got all sorts of problems defensively.

4. No more Larry Bird. Last year, the Indiana legend and then-Pacers President of Basketball Operations made headlines by challenging the Pacers toughness late in the series against the Heat. He then departed from the organization after the season’s end. It remains to be seen whether the absence of pressure he created will be good or bad for the team.

5. Numbers-one-through-four on this list could suggest an advantage for the Heat, but the Pacers are better than they were a year ago. Their youth is further along in their development. They’ve showcased that fact at times during the playoffs, especially in dismantling the higher-seeded New York Knicks in six games. George and Lance Stephenson, among others, are much improved. During the regular season, the Pacers beat the Heat two out of three times, largely by dominating in the paint. But obviously these games mean more. Are the Pacers ready for the big-time? We will see soon enough.