logo
Cavs out to get stars aligned in Game 2 vs. Pacers

Cavs out to get stars aligned in Game 2 vs. Pacers

Mint05-05-2025

Donovan Mitchell struggled from the perimeter, Evan Mobley was a non-factor for long stretches and Darius Garland spent the evening in street clothes.
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals was a rare off-night for Cleveland's three All-Stars and the Cavaliers lost at home to the Indiana Pacers. The 121-112 result leaves the top seed in search of a way forward for Game 2 at home on Tuesday.
"It's one game, yeah we lost home-court advantage, but it's one game," said Mitchell, who shot 11 of 30 from the field and was 1 of 11 on 3-point attempts, while still scoring a game-high 33 points. "We didn't play our best basketball. We've got to play better. We've got to execute, and I have no doubt we will."
After just one game in the series, there are legitimate concerns for the Cavaliers, who will put plenty of energy into Game 2, with the following two games of the series set for Indianapolis.
While Cleveland dominated the league while earning an Eastern Conference-best 64 wins in the regular season, they are now just 1-4 against the Pacers this season, including Game 1.
Garland's status remains a large concern for the Cavaliers. The point guard's sprained left big toe has kept him out of three straight playoff games. Coach Kenny Atkinson continues to say Garland is day-to-day, but the Pacers expect to see those 20.6-point, 6.7-assist averages on the court soon, while he is officially listed as questionable.
"Certainly, Garland is going to be back in this one, probably sooner than later," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. "They're very good at what they do. They'll adjust."
Mobley (ankle) and De'Andre Hunter (thumb) also are listed as questionable, but Atkinson said he had "real concern" whether either would be available for Game 2.
The Pacers shot a blistering 52.8 percent (19 of 36) from 3-point range in the opener, led by Andrew Nembhard, a defensive minded guard who buried 5 of 6 attempts. Forward Aaron Nesmith made 4 of 6 and Bennedict Mathurin was 3 of 5 off the bench.
Nembhard also was responsible for shadowing Mitchell as he delivers a solid postseason so far. He has averaged 16.3 points and 5.0 assists, while shooting 57.1 percent beyond the arc, through six playoff games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Cavaliers, after performing well in 17 playoff games last season.
"Drew was just doing what Drew does come playoff time," Indiana point guard Tyrese Haliburton said. "His lock-in level is unbelievable right now and he's really the head of the snake for us defensively."
Haliburton, Nembhard and Carlisle all noted the key to winning the first game was immediately taking the crowd out of the game by leading 36-25 after one quarter.
The Cavaliers were an East-best 34-7 at home in the regular season and went 2-0 in their building against Miami in the first round. They have relied on their fans' emotion to cause "Cavalanches" that now feature artificial snow falling from the arena's rafters.
"We knew this crowd was probably going to be the best crowd we've ever been in front of," Haliburton said. "I thought we did a good job when that 'Cavalanche' was on the way."
Haliburton also stepped up defensively with three blocked shots, along with 22 points and 13 assists, while center Myles Turner had 13 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
Nembhard believes the team-wide defensive flex will continue, whether Cleveland has Garland in uniform or not.
"We didn't really look at it like, 'Ah, this is our chance,' when he wasn't out there," Nembhard said. "We wanted to do our best to compete. There was a good energy about it that we can keep bringing the rest of the series."
First Published: 6 May 2025, 01:34 AM IST

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NBA star Draymond Green makes bold claim about Oklahoma City Thunder's Alex Caruso over NBA Finals
NBA star Draymond Green makes bold claim about Oklahoma City Thunder's Alex Caruso over NBA Finals

Time of India

time5 hours ago

  • Time of India

NBA star Draymond Green makes bold claim about Oklahoma City Thunder's Alex Caruso over NBA Finals

NBA star Draymond Green makes bold claim about Oklahoma City Thunder's Alex Caruso over NBA Finals NBA star Draymond Green believes Oklahoma City Thunder's guard Alex Caruso is the team's third most important player, as he's not only experienced, but he's also smart and his defence is pretty good, especially in the NBA Finals, with his power packed performance. Even though Caruso hasn't been able to score top points, he's well aware of how to ensure a win for the team. Draymond Green believes Alex Caruso is Oklahoma City Thunder's solid defense In the latest episode of podcast The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis, Draymond Green explained the two teams — Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers' solid strategy, that led the former's win against the latter in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. He said: "When I look at this OKC team, I actually think the third-most-important player is Alex Caruso. I think Caruso is so important to what they do and I feel like you never game plan for him, So because you don't have a game plan for him, he comes into these Finals and he goes crazy. But the reality is, he's a champion, so he actually knows what to expect." Draymond Green reacts to Pacers-Thunder Game 2: SGA outshines Haliburton to even NBA Finals at 1-1 He explains, "If I'm an opposing coach, I'm saying 'Caruso's been in this moment, he's shown us over and over again he can deliver in this moment, I'm going to make him so important to our game plan, I'm going to make less of an importance in our game plan to the guy who hasn't done it.' He added, "Place that bet on the guy that hasn't done it, and Chet hasn't done it. I know Caruso can beat me, he's shown he can beat me at several different points. Back then when he won a championship he showed you he can beat you. So I'm just not sure that would be the bet that I would be making." Green said, in the podcast, "He's so important to everything they do, Defensively, he's so important to everything they do. Offensively, he can be another guy that can handle the ball, that's smart, that makes decisions, that's going to shoot the right shots, not take the wrong shots." Also Read: Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green Weighs In On Controversial Cooper Flagg Narrative With Dallas Mavericks NBA star and Golden State Warriors' brilliant face Draymond Green believes Alex Caruso knows the game, and the fact that he's able to showcase his skillset, in ensuring the team has a strategic advantage over everybody else, proves he's at his best.

Skip Bayless' Drops Bombshell After OKC Thunder Game 2 Domination – Can the Indiana Pacers Respond?
Skip Bayless' Drops Bombshell After OKC Thunder Game 2 Domination – Can the Indiana Pacers Respond?

Time of India

time6 hours ago

  • Time of India

Skip Bayless' Drops Bombshell After OKC Thunder Game 2 Domination – Can the Indiana Pacers Respond?

Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder (Image via Imagn). The Pacers recent lost in Game 2 squeezed out a fiery reaction from popular NBA analyst Skip Bayless . The NBA Finals took a dramatic turn in Game 2 as the Oklahoma City Thunder overpowered the Indiana Pacers, 123-107, leveling the series at 1-1. With the action shifting to Indianapolis for Game 3, the Pacers face a crucial moment—can they reclaim momentum, or will the Thunder continue their dominance? Sports analyst Skip Bayless has already made up his mind, boldly predicting Oklahoma City will win the championship in just five games. After a disappointing performance in Game 2, Indiana's flaws were exposed—struggling offense, defensive lapses, and a quiet night from star Tyrese Haliburton. But history has shown that underdog stories can unfold in the NBA Finals. Can the Pacers, led by championship-winning coach Rick Carlisle, defy expectations and turn the tide? Or will the Thunder prove Bayless right and take full control of the series on Wednesday night? Skip Bayless believes the thunder will win the series in five games Skip Bayless didn't hold back in his assessment of the Pacers' chances. He declared the Thunder will close out the Finals in five games, calling Oklahoma City the far superior team. He also pointed out that the Thunder secured their Game 2 victory without even playing at their best. 'The Oklahoma City Thunder are going to win the NBA Finals in 5 games because they're way better than the Indiana Pacers… Wednesday night will be the night the Thunder take complete control of the series,' Bayless said. The Indiana Pacers struggled in game 2 Indiana Pacers ' performance in Game 2 left much to be desired. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton was held to just five points entering the fourth quarter, stifled by Oklahoma City's relentless defense. If the Pacers hope to turn the series around, Haliburton and the offense will need to find answers quickly. History offers a glimmer of hope for the Indiana Pacers Despite Skip Bayless' skepticism, the Pacers aren't without hope. Upsets have happened before—most notably in 2011, when Rick Carlisle coached the Dallas Mavericks to a Finals win over the heavily favored Miami Heat. Now, Carlisle leads the Pacers, and his experience could prove crucial as Indiana looks to defy expectations. Pacers vs Thunder Game 3 could shift the series The series moves to Indiana for Game 3, tipping off Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. EST. A Pacers win would give them a 2-1 lead and put pressure on the Thunder. But if Oklahoma City delivers another strong performance, Bayless' prediction may start looking inevitable. Also read: "That's my favorite player of all time" - OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander credits Los Angeles Lakers legend as major influence ahead of NBA Finals Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers For now, the Finals remain up for grabs—but the Thunder have made it clear they're the team to beat.

Pacers pine for hostile home crowd, Finals shift to Indy
Pacers pine for hostile home crowd, Finals shift to Indy

Hindustan Times

time9 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Pacers pine for hostile home crowd, Finals shift to Indy

For the first time since 2000, the NBA Finals are headed to Indianapolis. The Pacers are even with the Oklahoma City Thunder at 1-all in the best-of-seven Finals as the series rolls into Indiana for Game 3 on Wednesday night. "We got one. Get to go home and play in front of our fans at Gainbridge," Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith said. "They've been waiting for this for 25 years, so it's exciting to go back and see what the atmosphere will be like." The Pacers swiped the opening game of the series and went into the second with a 7-0 record in Games 1 and 2 this postseason before the 123-107 loss that evened the Finals. While Oklahoma City squandered a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter in Game 1, the Thunder defense was relentless in Game 2. Indiana has only 38 points in the paint in two games, an area Pascal Siakam believes the Pacers must address to reclaim the series lead. "They swarm a lot. They do a good job of that. I mean, yeah, they use their hands a lot," Siakam said. "I mean, we are not going to get into fouls or no fouls but whatever. I think they are just being aggressive, and we've got to be stronger with the ball. We can't let that speed us up. We've still got to play under control ... that's what we've got to find a way to do." NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 36 points in the Finals and had 34 points and eight assists for the Thunder in Game 2. Gilgeous-Alexander has 72 points in his first two Finals games, one better than the previous best ever two-game debut by Allen Iverson . "I'm being myself. I don't think I tried to reinvent the wheel or step up to the plate with a different mindset. Just try to attack the game the right way. I think I've done a pretty good job of that so far," he said. "Now, I would trade the points for two Ws, for sure. But this is where our feet are. This is where we are. You can't go back in the past, you can only make the future better. That's what I'm focused on." Field Level Media

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store