The Cavaliers-Pacers series shifts to Indiana for Game 3 of the East semifinals.
Eliminating the Pacers was never going to be an easy assignment, but nobody realistically expected Cleveland to be down 2-0, with the series shifting to Indiana.
To advance, the Cavaliers will need to accomplish a rare feat, as only five teams in NBA history have come back to win a series after losing the first two at home. At least it’s proven it can be done, and not a truly insurmountable task.
Going on the road in the playoffs is supposed to be a difficult environment, putting the visitors at a serious disadvantage. The results have shown otherwise, though, thus far in these playoffs. Visiting teams are 6-1 in the Conference Semifinals.
Winning on the road was also not a problem for the Cavs in the regular season, finishing with a third-best 30-11 record outside of Rocket Arena. They were also able to take down the Pacers on their court in January.
To turn the tide, things beyond shifting venues will need to change though. That will start with getting healthy.
At this point in the season, it’s just not realistic throughout a series for a team missing three of its top seven players to be able to compete at the level needed. The competition is just too good. Especially when one of those players is your second-leading scorer, and another is the reigning Kia Defensive Player of the Year and likely an All-NBA team member.
The status for Darius Garland (toe), Evan Mobley (ankle), and De’Andre Hunter (thumb) are still up in the air for Game 3. The return of all, and any could be a needed shot in the arm for Cleveland.
The Cavaliers were a heavy 3-point shooting team in the regular season, taking 42 attempts per game, the second most in the league, and they also made a second-best, 38.5% of their attempts. So far in this series, they’re making just 25.9% of their attempts on 77 tries. That won’t be able to continue for Cleveland to get back in the series
A return for Garland, who shot 40.1% from distance during the season, and Hunter (40.5%) would help in that regard; however, it’s not necessarily that simple. Even quality 3-point shooters like Ty Jerome and Donovan Mitchell have struggled from long range in this series. Mitchell adjusted in Game 2 and started attacking the rim more, as the game wore on, which proved to be a successful tactic. If the three-ball isn’t falling early in Game 3, it may be in Cleveland’s best interest to ignore the shooter’s shoot mantra and shift their focus to the paint.
Aside from the 3-point shooting, the Cavaliers will need to figure out how to hold off the Pacers in the fourth quarter. Indiana has been clutch in the final frame in these playoffs and has now erased a deficit in three straight games, going back to Game 5 against the Bucks last round. Their latest effort in Game 2 was historical, erasing a 20-point deficit, and earning their second 7-plus-point comeback in the final minute of a game in these playoffs. Something a team hasn’t done at all in the Playoffs since 1998, and they’ve now done it twice.
These collapses typically involve avoidable mistakes, like an errant inbounds pass, which was costly for Cleveland in Game 2. Taking care of the ball, and avoiding self-inflicted errors is always important, but absolutely vital in the clutch moments of the game.
In all, it should be a feasible formula for Cleveland to accomplish to get back in this series. Get and stay healthy. Attack the rim when the three-ball isn’t falling. Keep your composure down the stretch and execute. If these three things can happen, the Cavs will likely find themselves in the win column and allow themselves to dig out of their 2-0 hole.
The Cavaliers will return to the floor Friday against the Pacers and looking to get back into the series at 7:30 ET on ESPN.
