11:30 a.m. EST, May 9, 2012|By Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel
MIAMI â€"
It will be the Indiana Pacers next for the winner of this best-of-seven first-round NBA playoff series between the Miami Heat and New York Knicks.
 The Pacers eliminated the Orlando Magic 4-1 with Tuesday's 105-87 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 The Heat led the Knicks 3-1 entering Wednesday's 7 p.m. Game 5 at AmericanAirlines Arena.
  Should the Heat close out the Knicks either Wednesday night or in a Friday Game 6 in New York, then Heat-Pacers would start Sunday afternoon at AmericanAirlines Arena, with that series also to be scheduled on a 2-2-1-1-1 basis.
 The Heat went 3-1 against the Pacers during the regular season, winning 118-83 Jan. 4 at home, 105-90 Feb. 14 in Indiana, 93-91 at home March 10 and then falling 105-90 March 26 in Indiana.
   It is the first time since 2005 the Pacers have advanced to the second round, when their roster included the likes of current TNT analyst Reggie Miller and former Heat center Jermaine O'Neal.
  "We feel like this is just the beginning of a big run," Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters after Tuesday's victory. "We're excited about where we're at as a basketball team."
   The Pacers were bolstered this season by the offseason acquisition of power forward David West as a free agent from the New Orleans Hornets and a trade with the San Antonio Spurs for point guard George Hill. Their starting lineup is rounded out by center Roy Hibbert, forward Danny Granger and guard Paul George, with forward Tyler Hansbrough and guards Leandro Barbosa and Darren Collison the mainstays off the bench.
  Vogel has stressed the ensemble nature of his team.
  "We know a team can beat any crew of superstars," he said Tuesday. "Any given night it can be a different guy on our team."
 Magic forward Glen Davis told the Indianapolis Star-News following Tuesday's game that he could see the Pacers giving the Heat a competitive series, should the Heat advance.
 "Yeah, I think they have a chance," he said. "If they defend, they're athletic and long enough and have a big bench, so they have a chance."
  Then there was the perspective of Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, the former Heat coach.
  "The next round is going to be very tough," he said of the Pacers. "They were huge favorites in this series. They will be underdogs in the next. I have no clue how far they will go and I won't be watching."
iwinderman@tribune.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat
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