Round one of the NBA playoffs have begun. The Cleveland Cavaliers are prepared to face off against the Indiana Pacers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers finished the season as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers ended with a 50-32 record. This makes it the fourth consecutive year in which the team won at least 50 games. Now, the Cavs are set to play the Indiana Pacers in round one.
The Pacers were one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this year. Many people assumed the Pacers were entering a rebuilding stage, especially after they traded away Paul George.
However, huge contributions from a number of players led to a solid season for Indiana. Victor Oladipo was perhaps the biggest reason for the Pacers success.
Oladipo averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.4 steals.
This outstanding season has made Oladipo the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player Award. The Indiana Pacers will certainly prove to be a worthy first-round opponent. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers have two big advantages heading into this matchup.
Firstly, the Cavaliers are stacked with talent. The Cavaliers have way more superstar power on their team than the Indiana Pacers. LeBron James and Kevin Love are arguably the two best players in the entire series.
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Furthermore, the Cavalier bench is filled with players such as Rodney Hood and Jordan Clarkson. Both of these players are better than any sixth man the Pacers have to offer. The imbalance of talent will give Cleveland an instant advantage. But, talent doesn’t always lead to success. Luckily, there is one more factor that is going to be huge for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers biggest strength in this series will be their ability to push the tempo of the game. Cleveland’s best gameplan would be to play fast-paced basketball.
This is because the Indiana Pacers have often struggled to score this season. The Pacers ranked 17th in points per game this season. In contrast, the Cavaliers ranked fifth. This means there will be plenty of moments during this series in which the Cavaliers are going on big scoring runs.
The best way to ensure scoring runs is to get out on the break and play at a high tempo. Therefore, if the Cavaliers are able to control the tempo, they will control the series. Not always do they need to push, especially considering the athleticism of Indiana, but at times, it could reap benefits.
Playing at a fast pace is nothing new to Cleveland. The Cavaliers ranked 12th in pace this season. Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers ranked 24th. This will be Cleveland’s best gameplan, as they can play to their strength while also exposing Indiana’s weakness.
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I expect to see the Cavaliers push the pace of the game every chance they get. If the Cavaliers can do this successfully, it should be a quick and easy series.