As we look forward to another set of awesome Game 2s in the Playoffs, let’s look back at some highlights and insights that could have set the tone of the series and validate or negate our perspective of the first-round match-up.
Here are some highlights and insights from the Game 1 results:
Cleveland Cavaliers 80, Indiana Pacers 98
IND leads 1-0
Indiana Pacers astonished everyone after a dominating performance and took Game 1 of their first-round series against the highly-favored Cleveland Cavaliers. They were led by their All-Star guard Victor Oladipo, who scored 32 points, six boards, four assists four steals and a block, while shooting 57.9% from the field and 66.7% from downtown.
Three things to consider in this series after Game 1:
PLAY WITH MORE ENERGY, MORE INTENSITY, HAVE NO FEAR
AP Photo/Tony DejakGame 1 showcased an aggressive Indiana against an unprepared Cavaliers. The Pacers played for 48 minutes with so much intensity on both ends of the floor. They controlled and dictated the tempo of the game, even if they were facing LeBron in front of Cleveland’s home crowd. They exploited mismatches, came up with pesky defense, and took every opportunity to attack the basket. They made the Cavs commit 17 turnovers and converted 20 points from them.
Most of all, Indiana showed that they were not backing down against LeBron and the Cavs when they made some runs to come back. They tightened their defense, made some stops and closed out the passing lanes, snatching 12 steals from Cleveland. They were more relentless and outplayed the defending East champs.
BASKETBALL IS A TEAM SPORT, EVERYONE SHOULD BE INVOLVED
At this level of basketball, the performance of each team’s superstars is already expected. LeBron James had another triple-double performance, with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists while Victor Oladipo had exceeded his regular season output. But to win this series, it should be a team effort. Everyone should contribute and be involved in their offense and defense.
The Pacers got a big lift not only from their starters, who scored 42 more points besides Oladipo’s 32, but also from their bench, who gathered 22 points. It was not the case for the Cavaliers, who only had 25 points from the other four starters while their bench tried to infuse some damage by tallying 31 points, mostly from the efforts of J.R. Smith and Larry Nance Jr.
If the Cavs want to take Game 2, Kevin Love should be more involved in their offense, although he did grab 17 rebounds, along with Rodney Hood, George Hill, and Jeff Green. If the Pacers want to upset the Cavs, they need to continue playing as a team.
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE, DON’T BE OVERCONFIDENT
When Indy decided to trade their superstar Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, everybody criticized and ridiculed that trade. Why would they trade their superstar for just “some guys” when they could have done better with other teams who have offered better packages for the All-Star forward? But since the season started, Indiana has paraded a team that not only surprised the NBA but also exceeded the expectation of people around the league. They landed a legitimate All-Star in Oladipo, who should be the unanimous Most Improved Player of the Year, and a promising big man in Sabonis.
Before the start of the playoffs, people felt that it will be an easy first round for the defending Eastern Conference champs because they will be facing the Pacers without PG. But Game 1 happened and we saw something that we had ignored: This is a different team. This is an intense, hungry and aggressive Indiana Pacers. And the Cavs were shocked, as was everybody, and were not ready for them. Some bites of reality: never underestimate your opponents and don’t be overconfident because you have an edge!
This is not just for the Cavs but also for the Pacers.
Thoughts after Game 1: If Pacers will continue to play the way they do, and I think they will, and if LeBron will continue without some help, this could be an early exit for the Cavs.
