Indianapolis ? Jeff Foster delivered a career performance when the Pacers needed him most.

With Indiana reeling from two straight losses in Miami, Foster had career highs of 20 points and 16 rebounds on Saturday night to lead the Pacers to a 94-83 win over the Heat and a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.

“It was fun, I haven’t scored 20 points since college,” said Foster, a five-year veteran. “We needed a win, and we got a win, and I was just able to be a part of it offensively, which normally I’m not.”

The 6-foot-11 center spearheaded a Pacers frontline that figured to dominate the smaller Heat but had yet to do so in the series.

“He led this team,” Indiana All-Star Jermaine O’Neal said. “A lot of energy and a lot of big plays.”

O’Neal added 22 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who exploded in the third quarter to get rid of the pesky Heat.

Miami came into the game holding a 23-rebound advantage over the bigger, burlier Pacers.

Indiana finally flexed its muscle in Game 5. The Pacers outrebounded Miami 47-30. Foster had seven offensive rebounds, as many as the entire Heat team.

“Jeff Foster stepped in with the most important and best game of his career,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He played a great game.”

Indiana also outscored the Heat 42-26 in the paint and 20-4 in second-chance points.

Game 6 is Tuesday in Miami, where the Heat have won 18 straight games, including two convincing victories over the Pacers that evened the series.

As has been the case all postseason, the Heat looked like a completely different team on the road.

“It’s kind of mind boggling to try to figure out what the difference was in the way we played,” Heat forward Caron Butler said.

After shooting 51.4 percent in Game 4 and playing with energy in both games in Miami, the Heat were overwhelmed in their sixth straight road loss in the playoffs.

“We weren’t great offensively by any means, but the problem today was defense,” Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We were pathetic defensively today, and I have to take responsibility for that.”

Lamar Odom had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, but was far from the force he was at home. Foster harassed him all night, forcing him to miss seven of his first eight shots and rendering him a non-factor.

Dwyane Wade, who tormented the Pacers with dribble penetration for most of the series, finished with 16 points and 10 assists. This time the Pacers clamped down on the rookie and made it more difficult for him to get to the paint.

“That was just what we’ve been trying to do the whole series — keep them from opening things up,” Foster said.

Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest had a lot to do with that, too.

The Pacers took a five-point lead into halftime, then put the game away with a spectacular third quarter on both ends of the floor.

Carlisle switched Artest on to Wade, and it made all the difference. Visibly frustrated, Wade scored just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in the third.

O’Neal had nine points and five rebounds, and Foster chipped in eight points and three boards in the period. The Pacers shot 80 percent and held Miami to 31.6 percent shooting to take a 73-54 lead into the final period.

O’Neal and Foster fueled a 20-6 run to start the period and played with enthusiasm rarely exhibited this season.

When Jamaal Tinsley drove the lane and dished to Artest for a layup and a 15-point lead, O’Neal pumped his fist furiously and Tinsley let out an exuberant scream that brought Conseco Fieldhouse to a roar.

“Our energy level was just 10 times different than it was in Games 3 and 4,” said Reggie Miller, who scored 13 points. “Hopefully we can bottle this and take it with us down to South Beach.”

Foster averaged just 6.1 points during the season.