NBA Preview: Cavaliers and Pacers going in opposite directions. However, a new season is starting this weekend.
Indiana Pacers (42-40) at Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31), Saturday, 3 p.m. EST
Line: Cavs -8.5. Total 211.
Back on April 5, Cleveland had a showdown at TD Garden at Boston with the Celtics for first place in the Eastern Conference. Both teams had 50-27 records. The Cavaliers held the tiebreaker edge over Boston. A Cleveland win would lock up the #1 seed in the East for LeBron & Company. The Cavaliers dominated the game from start to finish, cruising to a 114-91 win.
All the talking heads on television crowned Cleveland as Eastern Conference champions after that victory. The Celtics lost to Atlanta the following day 123-116 to fall 1.5 games behind the Cavaliers. It was now an afterthought that the Cavs would win the East. After all, Cleveland had obviously figured things out, winning four straight games after throttling the Celtics. The Cavaliers would only need to win two of their final four games to clinch the East.
Then Atlanta came to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on the back-end of a back-to-back on April 7 after their 7-point home win over Boston the night before. Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer gave the Cavaliers an early Easter present as he decided to rest four starters for this game. However, the Cavaliers laid an egg. Atlanta’s reserves played inspired basketball and shocked Cleveland with a 114-100 win.
Things would only get worse for the Cavaliers after that loss. Cleveland traveled to Atlanta on April 9 for the completion of their home-and-home set with the Hawks and dominated them for three quarters. The Cavaliers led 93-67 going into the fourth quarter. The Hawks rallied to tie the game at the buzzer on a Paul Millsap jumper from the baseline following a jump ball. The Hawks then erased a 5-point deficit in overtime to stun the Cavaliers 126-125.
The 26-point lead blown by the Cavaliers was the biggest lead blown in LeBron James’ career. The Hawks became only the third team in league history to win a game after trailing by 26 points in the fourth quarter. Cleveland’s huge win over Boston on national television four days earlier suddenly seemed like eons ago. All the talking heads on TV were wondering what was wrong with the Cavaliers again.
Even with two consecutive shocking losses to Atlanta, the Cavaliers could still clinch the #1 seed with wins over Miami and Toronto in their final two games of the season. The Cavaliers headed to Miami on the back-end of a back-to-back to lick their wounds and apparently rest a few players. Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue decided that James would sit out the final two games to rest and Kyrie Irving would also rest due to knee tendinitis.
Without James and Irving, the Cavs still played great for three quarters and led 91-80 heading into the fourth quarter. However, Cleveland would blow that lead and lose to the Heat in overtime 124-121. Kevin Love then joined James and Irving on the bench in the season finale at home to rest for the playoffs as the Cavaliers lost to Toronto 98-83.
Cleveland’s collapse was complete. Everybody on television is trying to figure out what is wrong with the Cavaliers. Everybody is concerned whether or not the Cavs can even make it out of the Eastern Conference now. Time will tell. The postseason journey starts on Saturday.
The Cavs are facing the Indiana Pacers, who were on the outside looking in on the playoff picture after losing at Cleveland 135-130 in double overtime on April 2. Paul George had 43 points, 9 assists and 9 rebounds, but it was not enough. James messed around and got a triple-double, scoring 41 points, grabbing 14 boards and dishing out 11 assists. George single-handedly kept Indiana in the game with 19 points during the overtime sessions.
However, the Pacers have bounced back strong after that tough loss and won five consecutive games. They needed all five wins to barely sneak into the postseason and earn the #7 seed.
The Cavaliers won the season series 3-1 over Indiana.
Despite these two teams going in opposite directions coming into the postseason, LeBron and the Cavaliers have always found a way to flip the switch and raise their level of play in the postseason. If the Cavs are going to make a deep run in the playoffs, they will have to flip the switch on defense.
The Cavaliers’ offense is fine. They are ranked #4 in points per game and their offensive rating is #3 in the league. However, their defense is the problem. The Cavs’ defensive rating is #21 in the league and they are ranked #20 in points allowed per game.
The 8.5-point Vegas spread just looks like a lot of points to give considering the way Cleveland is playing. However, the Pacers are ranked #29 in the league ATS (Against The Spread) on the road.
My personal strategy for playoff betting in round one is to not play game one in any series. I look for an upset in game one and then focus on taking the favorite in game two.
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