Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers Game 3: What We Learned

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Apr 20, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) is guarded Indiana Pacers forward Thaddeus Young (21) in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

3. The Cavs can win playoff games even when they get no help from Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

Love and Irving were awful in Game 3. They combined for only 26 points on 8 of 29 (27.5%) shooting. Neither one of them saw the floor in the fourth quarter.

The Cavs were down by 25 at the half largely because of their play. Love and Irving are sub-par defensive players. When they aren’t delivering offensively, and in Love’s case grabbing rebounds, they don’t provide much value.

That isn’t a criticism of each player’s games. Love and Irving are very gifted players. That being said, you can’t win games with players that aren’t producing at either end of the floor. Irving has several air balls while Love just couldn’t find a bucket outside of a couple jumpers. They both looked lost and completely ghosts of their Game 2 selves.

Games like this are rare from Love and Irving. It is good to know that the Cavs can still win games even when two of their three best players are off their game.