Pacers potential playoff opponents preview: Cleveland Cavaliers

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Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers LeBron James Cavaliers

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball while defended by Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 8, 2017, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The NBA playoffs begin in just over two weeks. Let’s preview a series against every potential first-round opponent for the Pacers. For our final installment, let’s examine the Cleveland Cavaliers.

2012. 2013. 2014. 2017. These are all of the years LeBron James eliminated the Indiana Pacers from the playoffs. In four of Indiana’s last five postseason trips, Kings James has sent them home.

LeBron has been in the finals every year since he started playing basketball in Miami. The common notion is that it will happen again this coming June. An injury to Kyrie Irving makes his path somewhat easy again, sans the talented Toronto Raptors. It is unlikely any team could stop him in a seven-game series.

But hold on now common folk. The Pacers beat the Cavaliers three times this season in four tries, and that becomes four in five tries if you include the preseason. Even with Myles Turner out, the Pacers won by 17 in Cleveland back in November. They have found a way to get it done against a talented Cavaliers team all season long.

The caveat: The Cavaliers roster looks vastly different than any of the times the Pacers squared off with it. They acquired Rodney Hood, George Hill, Larry Nance, and Jordan Clarkson since Indiana last saw them, and they are a completely different force. The roster acquired locker room harmony when they shipped away Isaiah Thomas. The Pacers were 3-1 against the old Cavs. These are new Cavs.

Could the postseason be any different? Could the Pacers finally take down LeBron this year? Let’s break it down and find out.

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