After getting blown out in game 1, what do the Cleveland Cavaliers have to do to make sure they don’t go down 2-0 going back to Indiana?
Headed into this year’s NBA Playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the heavy favorites, over the Indiana Pacers even though it was technically a 4-5 matchup.
Game 1 went exactly how you didn’t predict it to go.
The Pacers stunned the Cavaliers in Game 1, 98-80. The Pacers got out to a hot start, opening up a 21-point lead in the first quarter. Cleveland was down 33-14 by the end of the quarter.
From then on, the Cavs were playing catch-up the whole game. Eventually, they did manage to cut the lead to seven points in the fourth, before another spurt by Victor Oladipo and company put them back up by 17 successfully putting the game out of reach.
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The Cavaliers now find themselves in a peculiar position. They are down 1-0 in the first-round and have already lost homecourt advantage. Additionally, this Pacers team is showing zero signs of folding anytime soon.
This is even a new experience for LeBron James as he has never been in this position in his career. The loss also snapped LeBron’s 21 game winning streak in the first-round. This was his first loss in the first-round in eight years.
What went wrong for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1?
Clearly, the Cavaliers have some adjustments to make headed into Game 2 if they want to put themselves back in the driver’s seat in this series. The Pacers just looked like the all-around better team in Game 1. They played with more urgency like the series was on the line that night. It wasn’t that the Cavs didn’t look engaged, but rather the Pacers looked that much more inspired.
So, what went wrong for the three-time reigning Eastern conference champions? The simple answer is a lot went wrong, however, we’ll start on the offensive side of the ball.
The Cavaliers started the game as about as cold as you can, scoring just four points in the first seven minutes of the quarter. They finished the quarter shooting 5-16 from the floor and had more turnovers than they did field goals.
Overall, Cleveland shot 38.5 percent from the field, and 23.5 percent from behind the arc. Shooting like that it’s going to be tough to beat anyone in this league. Whether it was just playoff nerves for the new faces on the Cavs or a bad shooting night, this will have to improve if they want to have a chance in Game 2.
A big part of the reason why Cleveland shot so poorly was the Pacers suffocating defense. The ball pressure the Pacers had in Game 1, particularly in the first half was a major factor in the Cavs missing so many shots.
The Pacers finished second in the league in steals this season and that continued to hold true in Game 1 with 12 team steals. The Cavs turned the ball over 16 times, which is three higher than their season average. If the Cavs can cut down on the amount of steals they give up in the second game, they’ll be in better shape.
Probably the worst part about the Cavaliers defense in Game 1 was their transition defense. This has been a problem for them all season long. The Pacers were pushing the pace off every miss in the first quarter and were getting lay-ups almost every time.
The Cavs had no answer and looked helpless when Indiana pushed in transition.
The Pacers played much more aggressive on offense than the Cavaliers did. Victor Oladipo shot an astounding 6-9 from three and had 32 points for the game. Lance Stephenson was once again in the spotlight with great energy off the bench scoring and guarding LeBron James. It seems like Lance Stephenson turns into another player when he faces any LeBron James-lead team.
Overall, the Pacers offensive numbers as a team don’t jump off the page when you look at the statistics. The Pacers just played with much more effort and energy. They were pulling up from three with no warning, playing fast, and confident basketball.
When they won, there was no celebrating like they had just won the championship. They walked off the court calm and collected. The Pacers believe they can win this series and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. They are a confident group and have been all season.
Are the Cavaliers in trouble?
The main issues the Cavaliers will have to fix in Game 2 is transition defense, limiting Victor Oladipo, shooting the ball better, and playing with the effort they need to for the whole 48 minutes. Sounds like a lot to do, but all are fixable things.
The Cavaliers must come out with a sense of urgency in Game 2. They cannot dig themselves the hole they did in the first game or they’ll be going back to Indiana in serious trouble. LeBron James needs to be more aggressive as well. He didn’t even attempt a shot in the first quarter of Game 1.
It will be important for LeBron and the Cavs to set the tone right from the tip in Game 1 and make sure they deliver the first blow instead of Indiana delivering it. So, it’s not time to panic yet for Cleveland fans. However, a lot is riding on this Game 2.