Latest news with #Nance
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Report outlines why Delta flight from Atlanta had to land nose-down in Charlotte
We're now learning why a Delta flight had to make an emergency landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport without its nose landing gear back in 2023. Channel 2 Action News' sister station Channel 9 WSOC-TV reported when Delta Flight 1092 from Atlanta had to land on its belly; that happened on June 28, 2023. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The National Transportation Safety Board released its findings this week, and it says a fractured gear in the plane led to the issue. The report says Boeing issued a service bulletin on the part in 2001. After the crash, the part was inspected and had been marked to indicate that the service 'had been performed' in 2009. But according to the report, it's likely that the 'service bulletin was not adequately complied with.' ABC News Aviation Expert John Nance looked at the report with Channel 9 to explain what happened. 'For the nose gear, especially, it's a matter of landing on the means and slowly putting the nose down. This is the type of emergency everybody trains for. It's startling when it occurs, but it's really not lethal,' Nance said. TRENDING STORIES: Did you get a text like this? GA Dept. Of Drivers Services warns it's a scam President Donald Trump to pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley Disabled woman says she's stuck with $900 bill because property owner didn't install wiring right According to the NTSB report, an examination after the crash revealed that the 'landing gear upper lock link failed from a fatigue fracture.' Inspectors say the fatigue cracks were found along scratches 'consistent with tool marks, such as from filing or grinding.' According to the report, the scratches came from a ratchet. Once the cracks had gone a third of the way across, the part broke, and the nose gear wouldn't extend. 'This is basically a metal fatigue situation, this is what the NTSB is so good at, taking a piece of metal that failed and figuring out how it failed. And in this case, if a service bulletin had been followed, this wouldn't have happened,' Nance said. All 104 people on board got off safely. According to FlightAware, the plane is still in service and even flew in and out of CLT Tuesday morning. Delta sent Channel 9 the following statement on Tuesday: "As a result of the investigation Delta ... performed the following safety actions: Completed an inspection of all upper lock links installed on their fleet of Boeing 717 airplanes and all spare lock links in their inventory with no reported crack findings." [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Report outlines why plane landed nose-down at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
We're now learning why a Delta flight had to make an emergency landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport without its nose landing gear back in 2023. Channel 9 reported when Delta Flight 1092 from Atlanta had to land on its belly at CLT; that happened on June 28, 2023. RELATED >> Plane makes emergency landing at Charlotte airport; all passengers safe The National Transportation Safety Board released its findings this week, and it says a fractured gear in the plane led to the issue. The report says Boeing issued a service bulletin on the part in 2001. After the crash, the part was inspected and had been marked to indicate that the service 'had been performed' in 2009. But according to the report, it's likely that the 'service bulletin was not adequately complied with.' ABC News Aviation Expert John Nance looked at the report with Channel 9 to explain what happened. 'For the nose gear, especially, it's a matter of landing on the means and slowly putting the nose down. This is the type of emergency everybody trains for. It's startling when it occurs, but it's really not lethal,' Nance said. According to the NTSB report, an examination after the crash revealed that the 'landing gear upper lock link failed from a fatigue fracture.' Inspectors say the fatigue cracks were found along scratches 'consistent with tool marks, such as from filing or grinding.' According to the report, the scratches came from a ratchet. Once the cracks had gone a third of the way across, the part broke, and the nose gear wouldn't extend. 'This is basically a metal fatigue situation, this is what the NTSB is so good at, taking a piece of metal that failed and figuring out how it failed. And in this case, if a service bulletin had been followed, this wouldn't have happened,' Nance said. All 104 people on board got off safely. According to FlightAware, the plane is still in service and even flew in and out of CLT Tuesday morning. Delta sent Channel 9 the following statement on Tuesday: "As a result of the investigation Delta ... performed the following safety actions: Completed an inspection of all upper lock links installed on their fleet of Boeing 717 airplanes and all spare lock links in their inventory with no reported crack findings." (VIDEO: New apartment complex could be built under CLT airplane path)
New York Post
18-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Meet the ‘unguns': The new trend in ‘less-leathal' weapons
Chandler Crumblish Paine is a full-time mom and regular jogger who lives in Fort Worth, Texas. She's never owned a gun, but last year she became increasingly concerned about her safety, especially because she often exercises early in the morning or in the evenings. 'My family has guns, my brothers have guns, my husband has guns. But I just didn't feel comfortable carrying one,' she tells The Post. So she found an alternative to a firearm, purchasing what's known as a less-lethal pistol from a brand called Byrna. 9 Donald Trump, Jr. — one of many high-profile fans of weapons by Byrna. The company has become one of the nation's leading makers of less-lethal weapons. The Massachusetts-based company makes pistols — which look a bit like a Glock — that forcefully discharge pepper-spray projectiles or hard plastic pellet spheres. 'One day it just hit me — I'm a young woman out running at 4 a.m. with nothing to protect myself,' she says. 'It's a less lethal option and it will give you a chance to get away if need be.' Blake Nance, the co-founder of Kodai, a security consulting company in Los Angeles, recently bought a Byrna too. A former Marine and Beverly Hills police officer, Nance has always been comfortable handling guns. Even so, he wanted to find a different option that is unlikely to end someone's life if he has to use it. 9 Byrna recently began a partnership to retail their less-lethal weapons at Sportsman's Warehouse. Kate Collins / Elmira Star-Gazette via Imagn Content Services, LLC 'It's very similar to a paintball gun and how it uses a CO2 cartridge to launch a projectile that is really painful on impact,' says Nance of his Byrna gun. 'I just want something that will allow me to defend myself and just go home.' The Byrna will do the trick in most situations, he believes. 'I think it would take the fight out of anybody if they came at you,' says Nance. Both gun owners (like Nance) and people who say they aren't comfortable owning firearms (like Crumblish Paine) are fueling a rise in sales of these types of less lethal weapons, which some have called unguns. In 2023, the global 'less-lethal' market was estimated to be worth just over $1 billion, according to a report from Grand View Research, which predicts this number will more than double by 2030. 9 Sean Hannity, pictured using his Byrna weapon. Courtesy of Byrna Technologies Over the last 12 months, Byrna, for instance, has racked up $100 million in revenue, a record for the 20-year-old business, which is generally considered the first less-lethal weapons company to successfully position itself as a consumer brand. Byrna — whose fans have included Sean Hannity, Lara Trump, Megyn Kelly and Bill O'Reilly — has recently opened a string of retail stores across the country, from Oregon and Arizona to Tennessee, and kicked off a nationwide partnership with Sportsman's Warehouse. In April, Byrna also launched a new, more compact model, the CL Launcher. Axon Enterprises, the maker of Taser guns, also targets the consumer market, with two models, the Pulse 2 and the Bolt 2, that it promotes as 'personal safety technology.' While the company primarily supplies Tasers for police and military use, Axon vice president Angelo Welihindha says that he sees sales to everyday users as a growth area. 'We're putting more engineering resources than we ever have into the consumer line. It's a really big bet for the company,' says Welihindha, who declined to share sales numbers for Taser's consumer models. 9 A Bolt 2 Taser from Axon, which also specializes in weapons that harm but do not kill. Courtesy of Axon Competitors in the projectile launcher market include JPX International, which sells a launcher called the Jet Protector. It fires a projectile that releases a mist of pepper spray that carries a 400,000 rating on the Scoville Heat scale (which is based on the potency of the peppers found in pepper spray). The company, which sells to both police departments and consumers, claims its spray is twice as powerful as standard police pepper spray. Projectile launchers have also become popular with hikers and campers who carry them for protection from wildlife like mountain lions and bears. These weapons, from launchers to Tasers, sell for between $380 and $595. Most are available throughout the country and can be purchased online. But some cities, notably New York City, restrict their use to inside one's home and Byrna won't ship its weapons to NYC. Scott Brent, the CEO of JPX International, underscores that one of the selling points of less-lethal weapons is the issue of liability, contending that a weapon with bullets is simply riskier to carry. 9 'It's very similar to a paintball gun and how it uses a CO2 cartridge to launch a projectile that is really painful on impact,' says Blake Nance of his Byrna gun Courtesy of Blake Nance 'Everybody says, 'Hey, I've got a handgun permit,' ' says Brent. 'But let me tell you something, in most situations you're not going to use a handgun because if you kill or severely injure someone, you're going to get sued and you could be indicted. You may not be found guilty, but it's going to completely upend your life.' Axon's Welihindha agrees: 'A lot of gun owners are getting savvy to the civil consequences of making the wrong choice. They think of the Taser device as something that reduces the consequences if they get that self-defense decision wrong.' According to Byrna CEO and president Bryan Ganz, gun owners actually account for two-thirds of the company's customers, while just a third of Byrna buyers are non-gun owners. As Ganz sees it, these two groups are converging on this less-lethal middle ground for two countervailing reasons. One, of course, 'is the rising perception of crime and a fear for one's safety and the safety of their families,' says Ganz. 'This is driving folks to find a way to protect themselves.' At the same time, he contends, 'People don't want to see the level of gun violence that we are currently seeing in America. People are afraid of crime, they are fed up with gun violence, and less-lethal provides a solution that they need.' 9 Scott Brent, the CEO of JPX International, says that one of the selling points of less-lethal weapons is the issue of liability — users are less likely to face the legal consequences a gun death, even if it is in self-defense. Courtesy of JPX International Another element Byrna's customers have in common, adds Ganz, is that they are 'people who are going to fight back and not be a victim.' Less-lethal weapons aren't likely to put a dent in America's gun-death problem anytime soon though. Last year, gun violence resulted in nearly 41,000 deaths in the United States, though that was down 9% from 2023. And the total number of firearms sold in the US dwarfs those in the less lethal category, with an estimated 15.3 million guns purchased in 2024, according to The Trace. There's also a certain class of gun owners who are unlikely to adopt less-lethal weapons, says Ohio State University professor Randall Roth, author of the book 'American Homicide.' 'The trend since the early 1970s has been for a smaller and smaller portion of households to buy more and more guns. It's probably unlikely that those households will change technologies.' The most likely buyers of less-lethal options he sees as 'households that own a single firearm for protection.' 9 Axon vice president Angelo Welihindha says that he sees sales to everyday users as a growth area. 'We're putting more engineering resources than we ever have into the consumer line. It's a really big bet for the company,' Welihindha says. Of course, any life that is saved is a win. And the makers of less lethal weapons are explicit that preventing unnecessary deaths is part of their mission. Axon's founder Rick Smith has stated that its technology will one day 'make the bullet obsolete,' adding, 'Why are we shooting people with bullets? It's nuts. When that technology was invented hundreds of years ago, the world looked very different.' And Byrna states on its website that 'our product has empowered individuals to protect themselves and their loved ones, without causing irreversible harm.' Making substantive changes to how Americans engage with guns may be easier than changing human behavior as a way of addressing gun violence, according to David Hemenway, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. 'Fairly small tweaks in design and engineering could save countless human lives,' he has said. Still, while launchers and Tasers are designed not to kill, no weapon can be called non-lethal. 'There's no such thing as non-lethal. You can kill somebody with a butter knife or a toothpick,' says Aaron Jones, the founder and CEO of International Protective Service, a private security company with offices in seven states. 9 A JPX 2 model weapon, with a LEVEL II Safety holster and four 2-shot OC cartridges. These weapons can damage and maim, but are less likely to kill. Courtesy of JPX International But there are a number of potential downsides to the weapons. If someone pulls a launcher when police are present, it could be mistaken for a real gun, though both Byrna and JPX offer orange versions of their pistols, which are signals of their less-lethal status. There is also the possibility that the launchers will become reclassified as firearms in the future or that more cities will ban their use. And not everyone is convinced less lethal alternatives offer true protection. Jones, for one, acknowledges that while projectile launchers are a 'great product,' he doesn't see them as a 'be all and end all' solution in a dangerous situation. 'When bad guys come at you, they aren't carrying less lethal,' says Jones. 'The average bad guy will not be stunned by a pepper ball device. There always is the possibility it will work, but . . . I carry a firearm.' 9 The Pulse 2 taser from the less-lethal weapons-maker Axon. Courtesy of Axon But Nance doesn't see it that way. 'Look, we're living in America and there are lots of guns that are out there,' he says. 'But most of the robberies that I investigated as a police officer did not involve a gun. I don't feel like I'm going to die every time I walk down the street.' But if he's attacked, he says he wouldn't hesitate to use his less-lethal launcher. 'I'd pop them with this thing in a heartbeat if they needed to get popped. You want the will for them to hurt you to just be stopped.'
New York Times
15-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NBA's Larry Nance Jr. on his Leeds United ownership: ‘Tallest Leeds fan in the world'
The Old Peacock pub was packed with Leeds United supporters. The classic alehouse is a stone's throw away from Leeds' home ground, and on April 28, the fans were in a celebratory mood. It was two hours before the last home match of the season against Bristol City and the beer was flowing. Leeds had earned promotion to the Premier League for the 2025-2026 season a week prior following a 6-0 win over Stoke City. After two years in the second division, a return to England's top flight was an expected reward after Leeds' 100-point campaign in the Championship. Advertisement Among the crowd at the Peacock that day, and easy to spot in his Leeds shirt and yellow bucket hat, was NBA power forward Larry Nance Jr. The 6-foot 8-inch, 10-year NBA veteran became a minority stakeholder of Leeds United in 2023, buying in through Leeds owner 49ers Enterprises. Since then, he has traveled to West Yorkshire whenever possible to take in the fervent atmosphere that is synonymous with the club. 'When everybody started getting off work it just filled up to the brim,' Nance told The Athletic. 'It was nothing but Leeds fans in there singing and drinking and just having a great time.' At first, Nance would go relatively unnoticed when he visited. 'I could be anonymous, which was fun,' he said. From the Peacock he made the short walk to Elland Road with a group of friends. With a yellow scarf in hand, he witnessed Leeds' commanding 4-0 win over Bristol. For Nance, watching the team that he invested in play like a Premier League-caliber squad was a euphoric experience. A week later Leeds was crowned league champion after besting Burnley on goal differential on the last matchday of the season. Nance, though, felt that the stars had aligned for him to watch an emphatic Leeds victory in person. 'It was one of the best days of my life, ever,' Nance said. 'I play basketball, but I love soccer. I love football. Outside of my wife and kids, football is the biggest part of who I am. This last time, the anonymity was over. I'm not Larry Nance the basketball player. I'm Larry Nance, the Leeds supporter.' #NewProfilePic 🏆 — Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) May 3, 2025 Asked what the beer of choice is at the Peacock, Nance laughed and said that he didn't know. He has been unable to buy a beer at the well-known establishment, no matter how hard he tries. 'Every time I've gone to get in line to get a beer, I never get a beer. I'm just handed one,' Nance said. 'Leeds fans love their team, so if we're doing well, having a good season, they're like, 'We love this guy too.' I don't know. It's some kind of lager, like a light ale, a Peroni or something in that realm. It's in a cup and they hand it to me, and I'm like, 'Yeah, thanks'.' Advertisement Nance's enthusiasm for Leeds is evident, which is refreshing in an era when American ownership in English football, and celebrity stakes in clubs across the country, has become the norm. Billionaire owners of Premier League clubs or those who acquire Championship and other lower-division sides, for example, take control of those clubs and manage them like an extension of their business portfolio. There are success stories. Wrexham FC, behind their Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, have dramatically changed the club's culture and fortunes. A minority owner has a much different role, albeit often a visible one due to the trend of high-profile athletes and celebrities who are investing. In 2011, NBA icon LeBron James acquired a stake in Liverpool. Most recently, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, a Hall of Fame NBA player, joined Everton's ownership group. Kidd followed NFL greats Tom Brady (Birmingham City) and J.J. Watt (Burnley) to England. 'It's about being able to join a winner,' Kidd said in April via the Mavericks' social media account. 'I'm very lucky to have this opportunity to invest with (the Friedkin Group),' Everton, though, hasn't won a major trophy since 1995. The club will, however, unveil a new $1 billion stadium in August. Everton executive chairman Marc Watts referred to Kidd as 'a respected leader' and mentioned the NBA great's expertise in high performance as an asset. While that may be true, investing in English football is a lucrative business decision. Nance offered his own opinions on minority ownership and provided some insight into the perks that come with it. 'The biggest reason a lot of these guys are in it is because of the money,' Nance said. 'The opportunity, the money is very real. But one thing we do have as Americans is we understand how to market, license and make money off of that. And that is one thing that I would say that football, especially European football as a whole, that's where we shine. The Americans shine at generating revenue and generating all that type of stuff. It's a great investment.' Advertisement One advantage of being an investor in Leeds is the access. Nance receives match tickets when he requests them, something that is considered a treasure within the Leeds community. 'We have 25,000 people on the season ticket waitlist,' Nance said. 'It's a nightmare. So yes, you get in.' Nance is also given some behind-the-scenes information about footballing decisions. 'I know about all the stuff that's potentially going on and (what players) we're looking at. I get to know all that,' he added. 'Some of the things are just obvious to me, but I guess I've never had to explain what actually comes with it.' When Nance was announced as a minority owner, there was a report in the U.S. that suggested that he and another NBA player/Leeds investor, Indiana's T.J. McConnell, would be entrusted with returning Leeds to the Premier League. 'That is not true,' Nance said unequivocally. 'I'm a basketball player. It would be a disservice to Leeds United to think that I could make decisions and lead them back to the Premier League. I wouldn't dare overstep my bounds like that. We probably are kept privy to things more than most, but it's not like 'Hey, Larry, we're considering signing Manor Solomon from Tottenham. What do you think?' My role is basically the tallest Leeds fan in the world. That's my claim.' But what about his investment? 'If I can be 100 percent honest with you, I hope I never see my investment in Leeds United ever again,' Nance said. 'If it triples, if it doubles, if it quadruples, I hope I never see that money again. Which means I just get to stay with my chunk and be a part of this historic club that I've fallen in love with.' Nance has a collection of football shirts that are part of his standard wardrobe. Some of his favorites are a vintage Brazil national team Pelé jersey and a 1986 version of Argentina's away kit with Diego Maradona's iconic No. 10 on the back. A Samuel Eto'o Cameroon national team jersey is a preferred choice, too. Advertisement Nance used to have an assortment of Premier League jerseys, but that changed in 2023. 'There are no other English clubs in my closet anymore. I won't do that,' he said. 'Some of the legends like Pelé, (Lionel) Messi, and Eto'o, they get to stay. But I won't wear anything other than Leeds that's English from here on out.' Nance's attraction to English football, he said, is aligned with his own personality as a hardened competitor. Nance joined the Atlanta Hawks as part of a multi-player trade in June of last year. His decade-long NBA career has included stints with the Lakers, the team that drafted him, his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland and New Orleans before arriving in Atlanta. A versatile big man who is known for his high basketball IQ and blue-collar mentality, Nance missed the late portion of the NBA season after suffering a knee injury in February. The Hawks qualified for the play-in round as the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, but Atlanta lost those games to the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat and failed to advance to the playoffs. Nance's experience and rugged style of play were missed. He managed to make a bit of a fashion statement, though. Nance was on the bench for both games. Against the Magic he wore a 2001 Robbie Keane Leeds jersey. Nance then appeared in a Lucas Radebe alternate Leeds kit against the Heat. The images made the rounds on social media, as Leeds fans exalted Nance's sense of style. In the fashion-forward world of the NBA, Nance was happy to be an outlier. 'I've never been like a walk-in guy, you know. High fashion, that's not my lane,' he said. 'I wasn't necessarily aware that it caught some attention, but it's kind of cool that it did. I do take great pride in some of my football kits and that's something that I'll have to do more of next year. I've got an entire closet full.' His acumen in Leeds history debunked the notion that athletes and celebrity minority owners aren't truly engaged with the clubs they've invested in. Nance lauded Radebe's contributions as a former Leeds captain and he made a point to clarify that Keane spent a brief period at Elland Road on loan from Inter Milan. Nance then casually mentioned former Leeds manager Don Revie when discussing Leeds' yesteryears. Advertisement Nance also spoke highly of current Leeds manager Daniel Farke and praised the German's 'connection to the players.' 'Last year we didn't go up and we're one of the first teams ever to not go up from the Championship on 90 points,' Nance said. '(Farke) has earned the chance to show over the course of two seasons that 'I'm the right guy for the job'.' But mention Marcelo Bielsa to Nance and he reacts like a true Leeds supporter. Despite not yet being a Leeds investor during the Argentine's two seasons at the club, Nance admired Bielsa's style of play from afar. 'I adore Marcelo Bielsa,' he said. 'A manager who got us promoted and then finished ninth in his next season? Please, please if you've got any years left we'd love you.' On American Jesse Marsch's tumultuous spell as Leeds manager in 2022-2023, Nance was diplomatic when asked about his countryman, comparing Marsch's succession of Bielsa to what occurred with the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. Mitch Johnson, 38, replaced the legendary Gregg Popovich, who in May stepped down as Spurs coach after 29 seasons. 'I've never spoken to (Marsch), but I've heard nothing but really great things about how he conducted himself and how everybody appreciated him around Leeds. But you're the guy replacing 'Pop' in San Antonio. That's really hard. Those are big shoes to fill.' Nance has good rapport and regularly texts with several first-team players. They relate to each other as athletes, he said. Still, one player whom Nance has not yet met formally is American winger Brenden Aaronson, but he sees something in the 24-year-old that he recognizes. 'I'm a Brenden fan. I see a lot of my basketball play style in him,' Nance said. 'No real gaudy numbers in terms of goal output. But if you look at all the in-between numbers, the tactical side of the game, we are better with him on the pitch versus off.' What he called the 'rabid' nature of English football has long appealed to Nance. He said that he watches the Championship 'religiously' and referred to the league as 'managerial-based,' adding that the talent level and physical demands of England's second division has surprised him. 'I'm just so thankful that I don't have to play in it,' Nance said. Advertisement '(In the NBA) we play 82 games a year. Some guys are still playing,' he added. 'I wasn't fortunate enough to but that's close to 100 games in a year. (Championship) players are putting in marathons. I'm exaggerating but soccer is a way more physical game than it's perceived to be in America. It's 46 games, plus the FA Cup, plus the domestic cups and all that. It is just an absolute grind.' And when asked about his thoughts on promotion and relegation, Nance answered decisively. 'I love it. It's something to really fight and play for.' American athletes aren't exposed to the pressures of relegation football. Intense scrutiny is part of American sports culture, but the consequences of a failed season don't compare to the often devastating nature of being dropped to a lower division. 'If the Hawks lose every single game next year, there's no real punishment other than losing those games,' Nance said. 'As a competitor I am not really a fan of that approach. I love the fact that you've got to keep fighting for something. Now, we can never have (relegation) because we have a salary cap. But I love the general idea behind it.' Nance admitted that he doesn't watch MLS, although it's a league he'd like to learn more about. In March, owners of the United Soccer League (USL), which includes the second and third tiers of American soccer, voted to implement promotion and relegation by 2028. Nance was unaware of that plan but left the door open to becoming involved. 'It definitely piques my interest,' he said. 'It's not something that I would dive head first into right now. But if it was looking all right, I'd jump right into it.' Back at the Old Peacock, Nance feels at home. He has enjoyed meeting Leeds supporters and having conversations with them about Daniel James' 12-goal, nine assist season. Before Leeds kicked off against Bristol, Leeds supporters asked Nance about promotion to the Premier League and what he believes the club needs in terms of reinforcements. He appreciates that the topics of discussion always relate to football. Advertisement 'It's general conversations about the team and the sport that we love,' said Nance. 'It's not about basketball, which after a year of balling, I'm done talking about that, you know? I'm glad that they don't want to know what it's like to guard LeBron. I answer that 12 times a day. 'Of course they ask me, 'What's your aim here? Why us?'' And I just have the most genuine answers for them. Because I love you. It's truly because I'm passionate about this sport. This is one of the biggest clubs in the world.' Nance referred to his relationship with the club as a journey, one that he is happy to traverse whether Leeds is in the Premier League or battling for promotion in the future. 'I don't know what's next. But what I hope is next is a long, happy and healthy stay in the Premier League,' he said. 'I have no idea if we'll be in League Two in four years, but I promise you if I'm still in the NBA, I'm still going to wear my Keane and (Tony) Yeboah jerseys. Whatever happens, I'm there for it.' (Top photo courtesy of Larry Nance Jr./Illustration: The Athletic)
Axios
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Pacers face Cavs in Round 2 after strong playoff start
The Pacers are hitting the road this weekend for an Eastern Conference Semifinal showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Why it matters: Indiana will relinquish the home court advantage that proved beneficial all season as they attempt to take down the top-seeded Cavs. State of play: The Pacers, led by All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, dispatched Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. The closing moments of the series included a Haliburton game winner in overtime that will probably play in Pacers highlight reels for years to come. The Cavs, meanwhile, are coming off the most lopsided playoff series in NBA history, eviscerating the Miami Heat in four games by a total of 122 points. The big picture: These are two of the league's most lethal offenses, with deep and flexible rosters, lights-out shooters and elite coaching. It'll be a high-scoring best-of-seven series. Players to watch: For the Pacers: Haliburton, whose height at the guard position (6'5") makes him one of the NBA's savviest passers. He'll be a handful on the perimeter for Cleveland defenders. For the Cavs: Donovan Mitchell, who's currently tied with Michael Jordan — heard of him? — for the most consecutive 30-point performances in the first game of a playoff series. He'll be the solo leader if he drops 30 on Sunday. Flashback: This is the fourth time the Pacers and Cavs have met in the NBA Playoffs. The Pacers had a 3-1 record against Cleveland during the regular season. Yes, but: Two of those wins happened during the final week of the regular season when the Cavs were resting many of their key starters. 👀 What we're watching: If the Pacers' deep bench can continue to be a difference maker. Indiana has seven players averaging at least 10 points per game in the postseason. 💭 Justin's prediction: As someone who has called Central Indiana home for the past 21 years, I've supported the Pacers' strong season and Haliburton's late-game heroics. But that ends now. I'm from Cleveland, and the first jersey I ever owned as a kid said " Nance 22" on the back. Cavs in six — a polite prediction that hopefully won't get me cussed out by Pacers' fans during my next Kroger run. 💭 Axios Cleveland reporter Sam Allard's prediction: Cavs in six. In the final week of the regular season, the Cavs' third string gave the Pacers' starters a run for their money. I like our chances at full strength. The bottom line: Rocket Arena will be bumping as the Cavs seek their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance without LeBron James on the roster since 1992.
