Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel received criticism for leaving center Roy Hibbert off the court during the final play of his team's 103-102 overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. Hibbert watched from the bench as LeBron James drove to the basket for the game-winning layup in the final two seconds.
Paul George, who shined in his matchup with James before the deciding bucket, took the blame telling ESPN Thursday that he made a boneheaded mistake trying to pressure James rather than force him to try a contested jump shot. As for Hibbert, he said his mistake was not imploring Vogel to put him on the floor for the final possession to defend the paint.
"Me growing as a player, I need to do that more and have a bigger voice," Hibbert said. "I do need to grow as a player and be willing to do that."
Vogel kept the 7-foot-2 shot-blocker on the bench, fearing Miami's Chris Bosh might get free for a winning jumper. But Bosh said he was never an option to take the Heat's final shot. As for James, he said he would have attacked the rim no matter who was there protecting it.
"I would have probably had to adjust my finish, but I'd have had an opportunity to get to the lane. It would have put Hibbert in a tough position. I'd have probably had to adjust and I guess bring the athletic part of my game out at that point," James said with a smile.
Soon after Game 1 was over, second-guessing of Vogel's decision not to have Hibbert on the floor began, and it hasn't let up. Vogel hasn't come out and said it, but it was Bosh - more than James - whome he feared having the ball in his hands on the Heat's final possession.
"All I'd say is it was a sound plan when you have five 3-point shooters on the court to have a switching lineup out there with five guys that are great ball containers and ask your team to try to force a jump shot," Vogel said.
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