The Cleveland Cavaliers constructed their identification this season round elite protection and high-octane perimeter capturing. It is a mix that helped vault them to the highest seed within the East and had followers dreaming of a deep NBA Playoff run. However in Sport 1 of their Jap Convention Semifinals in opposition to the Indiana Pacers, each pillars cracked.
The Pacers walked into Rocket Area for Sport 1 and shot the lights out, burying 19 threes on 52.8% capturing from deep in a shocking 121-112 win that stole homecourt benefit and raised recent issues about Cleveland’s championship credentials.
“They outplayed us,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson stated. “Gotta give them credit score, easy as that.”
Indiana uncovered Cleveland’s defensive habits, particularly, their tendency to overhelp and rotate late, and weaponized them. Tyrese Haliburton orchestrated the offense with surgical precision, repeatedly discovering shooters relocating off drives. Andrew Nembhard (5-of-6 from three), Aaron Nesmith, and Bennedict Mathurin took full benefit, torching Cleveland from past the arc.
“Took us some time to determine their pace,” Atkinson admitted. “To start with, that they had us sort of within the blender a bit bit. After which their shot-making was otherworldly.”
Haliburton, who completed with 22 factors and 13 assists, managed the sport’s tempo and exploited each breakdown in Cleveland’s rotations. The Cavs, who gave up simply 96.5 factors per sport of their first-round collection, had no solutions for Indiana’s five-out spacing and fixed movement.
Offensively, Cleveland’s calling card failed them. The Cavs shot simply 9-of-38 from deep, their lowest complete of the season and second-worst proportion, and struggled to generate clear appears to be like. Darius Garland’s continued absence loomed giant as Donovan Mitchell was as soon as once more pressured to hold the offensive load, leaving Cleveland trying to find a response on offense.
The Cavs can’t be gun-shy in Sport 2 in opposition to the Pacers
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That response might want to come quick. The Cavs now path in a playoff collection for the primary time this postseason and should regroup shortly earlier than Sport 2.
Cleveland mounted a third-quarter rally, turning a 12-point deficit right into a four-point lead behind Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Ty Jerome. The world roared again to life. Momentum shifted. Briefly, the Cavs appeared like themselves.
Sadly, the Pacers by no means flinched. As an alternative, they settled in and took care of enterprise.
Haliburton and Nembhard buried three momentum-killing threes within the ultimate minutes. A Myles Turner putback pushed the Pacers’ result in six with simply over three minutes remaining. Cleveland by no means recovered. Sadly, the identical group that had stifled Miami couldn’t string collectively stops when it mattered.
The loss wasn’t only a statistical outlier. It was a intestine punch to a group with championship aspirations. A sport wherein Cleveland allowed 53% capturing, surrendered 30 assists, and was outscored by 30 from past the arc. One group made the pictures they have been constructed to make. The opposite fell flat.
Extra worryingly, accidents are beginning to mount, too. Atkinson talked about postgame that De’Andre Hunter was amongst a number of gamers “banged up” after a bodily night time. And with Garland’s standing nonetheless unsure, the strain on Mitchell and Mobley grows.
The Cavs have been reminded in Sport 1 that postseason success calls for greater than one-quarter bursts or particular person brilliance. Indiana is balanced, skilled, and unshaken. The Pacers made the Cavs pay for each lapse. Sport 2 now appears like a must-win. Furthermore, it is a referendum on whether or not this Cavs group is really prepared for the second. Hopefully, Cleveland can dig deep and reply.