ESPN flashes back to Cavs’ comeback over Pacers two years ago today

The Cleveland Cavaliers had a number of amazing memories in the postseason in LeBron James’ return, and ESPN looked back at one on this date against the Indiana Pacers two years ago.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made four straight NBA Finals appearances in LeBron James‘ second stint with the team, as many deemed his “Return Tour,” from 2014-2018.

On this April 20 date two years ago, James and company had an incredible comeback over the Indiana Pacers in what was a game that pretty much put the nail in the opponent’s coffin in that series, and ESPN reminded NBA fans about that in a recent flashback Tweet.

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Paul George and Jeff Teague (who are now on the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, for the record but were key players for the Pacers then), combined to finish with 51 points and both really had it going in the first half of that game.

The Pacers were rolling right over the Cavaliers, and Cleveland seemed to have no answer defensively; Indiana with 74 points in the first half, and had a 25-point halftime lead, according to ESPN.

It seemed as though Cleveland’s series lead would then be 2-1 after the end of the next half, and that the Wine and Gold would simply have to come out and play better in Game 4 to gain control of their first series of the 2017 postseason.

LeBron, Kyle Korver, J.R. Smith and Channing Frye had other ideas, though, and Cleveland roared all the way back to win this one and take a 3-0 series lead.

James had a statline of 41 points, including making six three-pointers himself on 12 attempts, to go with 13 rebounds, 12 assists, two blocks and a steal, per ESPN.

He scored or assisted on 73 points in the game, which was the most of his career in a postseason game at the time, per ESPN Stats & Info, and I believe that is still the case.

His hot shooting and passing wizardry were on full display after the half, and it was a pleasure to watch, and keep in mind, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, who were both very ineffective in the game (combining to shoot just eight-of-29), sat on the bench for the entire fourth quarter.

Korver and Smith, who combined to shoot a scorching eight-of-13 from three (per ESPN) made a number of really clutch shots, and the Cleveland Cavaliers needed every one of them in a 119-114 victory where Cleveland made 21 three-pointers and shot 47.7% from there.

At the time, the eventual 26-point comeback was the largest second-half one in postseason history, h/t the Associated Press.

The Los Angeles Clippers recently completed a 31-point second-half comeback win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday, which was the largest comeback in postseason history, though (h/t USA TODAY’s Andy Nesbitt).

Regardless, this memory of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ comeback two years ago over Indy was a fond one with the NBA Playoffs now under way and the Cavs, nor LeBron, whose now on the Los Angeles Lakers, not participating in the action.

Meanwhile, Irving, who is now on the Boston Celtics (as you probably know), is facing the Pacers right now, and his C’s have a commanding 3-0 series lead in the first round.

It would probably be a whole lot different, though, if Victor Oladipo, now a budding star for Indiana, were healthy and playing in the series. Game 3 was reportedly the first time Oladipo, who reportedly suffered a ruptured right quad tendon in January that ended his season, was even physically able to be at a Pacers game since the injury occurred, according to The Athletic’s Scott Agness.