Do the Indiana Pacers have a digital coach helping them in their attempt to knock out the Miami Heat from the NBA Playoffs?
Well, according to Rachel Nichols, at least Pacers guard George Hill is getting a little help from an ex-teammate in San Antonio.
"In our interview, Tony Parker described the texts he's been sending to Pacers' George Hill, giving him advice on how to beat Miami," Nichols tweeted.
Whatever tips Parker texted to Hill before Game 6 must have worked.
Hill bounced back from a tough Game 5 to score 16 points and dish out 6 assists while helping the Pacers hold Miami to a season-low-tying 77 points in their win Saturday night.
Hill was drafted by the Spurs in 2008 and spent his first three seasons in the backcourt with Parker.
San Antonio plays the winner of the Pacers-Heat series in the NBA Finals, so Parker has a little more riding on the outcome.
The series is now tied 3-3 heading into Game 7 in Miami on Monday night.
"I watched (all of Indiana’s Game 2 win over Miami),” Parker told NBA.com in an interview last week. “We’ve been texting the whole playoffs. I always follow George. He’s like my little brother, so I always text him."
Parker's tips on how to handle LeBron James and Dwyane Wade might be a little dated, though, as none of the players actually faced each other this season during the two games the Spurs and Heat played.
In a fun game of cat-and-mouse, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich famously sent Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili home early before San Antonio's game against the Heat in Miami in November.
Not to be outdone, Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra returned the favor when Miami visited San Antonio in March, sitting James and Wade.
