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Indiana Pacers conference opponent offseason check-in: Miami Heat

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Indiana Pacers conference opponent offseason check-in: Miami Heat


The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers aren’t the rivals that they were in the early 2010s, but they are still teams on similar contending paths right now. Two years ago, the Heat reached the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Final while this year, the Pacers made the conference finals themselves.

Yet despite those recent successes, both teams were lower in the Eastern Conference standings last year than those peaks suggest. Even with multiple playoff series wins in recent years, the Pacers finished in sixth in 2024 while the Heat were eighth for a second-straight year. Both teams are trying to figure out how to make their postseason successes become frequent and be a part of the regular season.

The Heat had a tough time taking those steps in the offseason. They’re an expensive group, and they’ve had injury issues the last couple seasons. How does a team like that, with limited resources to get better and new cap rules holding them down, improve while still having the same general core?

The answer is on the margins. Miami couldn’t do what the Cavaliers did and change head coaches. They couldn’t do what the Bucks did and get a bunch of quality minimum salary players. Instead, the Heat opted to make the most of their limited environment. They drafted Kel’el Ware in the middle of the first round, and he was very impressive during summer league play. They added Alec Burks in free agency after he had a great postseason for the New York Knicks and added a few other smaller pieces along the way. But the rest of the team’s major moves were about re-signing their own guys.

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Instead for the Heat, their success will come down to their best player(s) being healthy all year. Jimmy Butler, the head of the snake in every way for the Heat, missed a bunch of time last season. He hasn’t played over 65 games in a season since 2017-18. Bam Adebayo is usually rock solid, but he can only do so much without Butler available. Tyler Herro, another one of the Heat’s best players, also missed a ton of time last year, and if he could play more it would also go a long way for Miami. Terry Rozier, their key trade acquisition from last season, also missed time after the Heat grabbed him.

As Miami tried to push and repeat their finals run from 2022, they weren’t able to in a large part because of their health. They just didn’t have the ammo to win every night. That’s why they only won 46 games and had a ton of trouble in the first round with the Boston Celtics.

Yet their off season still looks a little underwhelming, Burks might play off the bench a bit for Miami. Ware looks solid, and maybe he’ll be the backup center. But the Heat didn’t add a ton of talent elsewhere. What does that team look like when it all comes together? Do they actually have enough talent to move up in the East? They were only one win behind the fifth place team last year, and they could very easily have more help. But they’re also getting older, and they also have a lot of guys who clearly aren’t worth their contracts. Will that eventually come to a head for this team?

That is what the Heat are going to have to figure out this season. The Pacers, who finished one win ahead of them and are hoping to see other teams fall out of the playoff race, will be happy that the Heat did not improve by much, if at all, this offseason,

Miami could be a team that Indiana finishes ahead of again as the Pacers try to repeat their success for last year. Until the Heat make a big move, regarding Butler or adding another mega talent to the roster, they won’t be seen as more than what they have been. They look like a team that could win in the mid to high-40s in games and push to try to get out of the play-in. They’re going to be in about the same spot heading into the season.

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Is ‘The Bachelorette’ happening? This Carmel contestant weighs in

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Is ‘The Bachelorette’ happening? This Carmel contestant weighs in


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Should ABC air the canceled-for-now season of “The Bachelorette”? A Carmel man who was set to compete on it seems to think so.

Matt Carroll, a 43-year-old Purdue basketball alum and Carmel resident, took to social media over the weekend to address the cancelation of season 22 of “The Bachelorette,” on which he appeared. Public opinion on whether the show should see the light of day is split, but the former Boilermaker forward and industrial real estate broker hopes the footage makes it to air.

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Disney and ABC pulled season 22 of “The Bachelorette” because its lead, “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul, faces an ongoing domestic violence investigations. The network announced the decision March 19 after TMZ leaked a video from a 2023 domestic violence incident involving Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen.

Neither Carroll nor the show have officially commented on the cancelation, but that doesn’t mean he and other contestants haven’t hinted at their feelings on social media.

Carroll’s Instagram reel — in which he struts through the streets of Carmel, rose in hand, RAYE’s “Where the Hell is My Husband” soundtracking it all — breaks the ice. “So…about that,” he joked, tagging both “The Bachelorette” and Bachelor Nation, the franchise’s official hub for news and content.

The reel has garnered comments from fellow Carmel residents wishing Carroll well, even offering to set him up with local singles. Notably, though, some of Carroll’s followers have called for the season to air — and he agrees.

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“Trying to manifest that they still air this,” one comment from model Brittany Mason reads. “America wants it the world wants it!”

“From your lips to God’s ears,” Carroll replied.

Another response from him put it more plainly:

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“I’m still hoping they decide to air it.”

Whether “The Bachelorette” will air is unclear. Disney Entertainment Television’s official statement only indicated that it was halting the season “for now,” so it’s possible the network could dust off the footage and air it after all.

Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@indystar.com. Follow her on X @hmb_1013.



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Game times announced for Saturday’s Final Four in Indianapolis

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Game times announced for Saturday’s Final Four in Indianapolis


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament’s Final Four is set.

Four teams have advanced to the Final Four and will compete for the national championship this upcoming weekend in Indianapolis.

The two national semifinal matchups will take place on Saturday. Tip times for the two games have been announced:

  • 6:09 p.m. EDT – No. 3 seed Illinois vs. No. 2 seed UConn
  • 8:49 p.m. EDT – No. 1 seed Michigan vs. No. 1 seed Arizona

The winners of Saturday’s games will then play in the National Championship Game on Monday, April 6.

Each game will take place inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Hundreds gather at Indiana State Capitol for ‘No Kings’ protest

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Hundreds gather at Indiana State Capitol for ‘No Kings’ protest


INDIANAPOLIS — Hundreds of Hoosiers gathered at the Indiana Statehouse Saturday morning as part of nationwide ‘No Kings’ events to voice their concerns about the current administration.

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Hundreds gather at Indiana State Capitol for ‘No Kings’ protest

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“I’m out here today because what’s happening in our government is completely trash,” Donna Sipes told WRTV. “It’s wrong. We need to do something about it.”

“I’m tired of every single day when the TV comes on to see what stupid thing he’s done next,” Lindi Marti said.

WRTV

Attendees noted the growing popularity of the demonstrations.

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“This is my fourth one to come to. I didn’t come to all of them when it was really cold, but I’m glad to see that they are getting a lot more people out here every time,” Marti added. “It seems like there’s more and more coming.”

Demonstrators highlighted specific foreign policy concerns, including the administration’s handling of the war in Iran.

“We’re bombing the heck out of them. We’re killing civilians,” Marti’s husband said. “We’re getting ready to send our Marines.”

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WRTV

Others focused on the administration’s handling of immigration.

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“That’s what I’m concerned about,” Reverend Kenny Little told WRTV. “Little kids, they’re taking them away from their family. And I’m just one of those people, I think everyone got rights.”

Indiana medical students also attended the rally to speak out against changes to the healthcare system.

“We’re really worried about the attacks on the health care system in general, but with Medicaid… current estimates range from anywhere from 325,000 to 450,000 Hoosiers will lose coverage by 2032,” Wade Catt said with concern.

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WRTV

With midterm elections approaching later this year, attendees emphasized the importance of now taking action at the ballot box.

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“If we don’t vote, then things are gonna not, they’re gonna stay the same,” a protester said.

Meanwhile, Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith says he’s happy to see Hoosiers exercise their First Amendment right to protest.

However, he takes issue with the idea that President Trump is acting like a king. Beckwith says the fact that people have the freedom to protest is proof that the president is not acting like a tyrant.

He acknowledges that bridging the gap between the sides is probably an uphill battle, but believes communication is key.

“I think when you sit down with people face to face, you’re confronted with humanity. There’s another human sitting across that table from you and talking to you. And so, all I have to say, I think that’s probably the thing I would encourage all Hoosiers to do is say, ‘Hey, if you don’t agree with somebody or if you don’t like somebody, why don’t you try grabbing coffee with them? And give it 30 minutes, and just see what happens.’ I bet most of the time people will walk away with a much softer heart and spirit towards that person before they came in,” Beckwith said.

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Beckwith is currently on a 92-county tour of the state. He says all sides are welcome to attend his events.

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