Shakir Syed is a Cavaliers fan who believes his favorite team will still win the championship.
History is already against Indiana: The Cavaliers have won 15 of 16 postseason series after winning Game 1. They didn't. First, it was Tristan Thompson denying George any impact on an inbound play, something the Cavs and Ty Lue had schemed against in practice leading into the Game 1 contest.
Even though the Hawks will be making their 10th straight postseason appearance, the team has generated little buzz around the National Basketball Association or even in its own city, where home games continue to be marked by thousands of empty seats and most sports fans seem more focused on the start of baseball season, the NFL draft and a promising new soccer team, Atlanta United.
Irving was asked if the overall output in Game 1, which shared some common themes with the Cavs' disturbing finish to the regular season in terms of shoddy defense and failure to protect a lead, left him and his teammates feeling vulnerable. When they gave help inside, they gave up open 3-pointers.
The Pacers are looking ahead to game two with the Cavaliers, but some are still looking back. James and Smith rushed at him to force his pass to Miles. "Just clean those things up and it'd have been a different game. We played with energy and effort all night", James said.
James added 13 assists and six rebounds in his 200th playoff game as he won his 18th consecutive first-round match.
The Cavaliers beat the Pacers, 109-108, on April 15 at Quicken Loans Arena because a shot by IN guard C.J. Miles clanked off the left front side of the rim at the final horn.
To counter, it was Paul George and whatever else IN could get.
It was pretty clear that the Cavaliers didn't want George taking the last shot, as they had LeBron double-team him at the top of the key to get the ball out of his hands. His jumper was on line, but short and the Cavs avoided a disastrous loss. George immediately started calling for the ball back.
"I talked to C.J. about it", George said. That's not the issue. "But in that situation, I've gotta get that".
Miles didn't make any excuses. I'm confident to take the shot regardless of what that stat is.
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"Really in that first half we were trying to blitz and stay with our man and they were slipping under the screens and getting loose for 3-point shots", in coach Nate McMillan said. "I just didn't make it".
George scored 29 points and Lance Stephenson had 16 for the seventh-seeded Pacers, who will try to even the series Monday night. The Cavs were just 14-27 from the free throw line, a positive sign, especially early when the Cavs were awarded numerous trips to the line, including five and-one opportunities in the first half alone.
The Cavs led by 12 late in the third quarter Saturday and by 10 with 9:06 to go. They finished the third quarter with an 8 point lead over the Pacers. IN was able to stage their fourth quarter comeback on Cavaliers misses, but many, including a James layup miss, were routine buckets gone awry from the Cavs.
"Hell, no", he snapped. "But we found a way to pull the game out, and we'll be better". The Indiana Pacers are allowing 35.5 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 42 rebounds per game.
But, as usual, the Pacers couldn't contain James, who improved to 45-7 in the opening round and made sure he and his teammates didn't stumble out of the post-season gate.
"I'm happy we go the victory", he said. One area of concern that Cleveland had was their bench, and they ended with 23 bench points from the four rotational players- Frye, Deron Williams, Jefferson, and Korver.
George added that he trusts Miles, but he'd rather be the one to take the last shot.
James didn't even take a shot until 2:39 was left in the first quarter.
He rejoined the Pacers on March 30 and was pivotal in them going 5-1 to make the playoffs. "I made the right play". "I think I did that today".
"[We had] a lot of easy missed free throws as well as layups that could have swayed the game and given us the cushion that we needed, but we just have a resilient group", Irving said. The Indiana Pacers have lost nine of their last 11 road games.
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