In a season when no one believed the Pacers would make the playoffs, they just happen to be playing today- at the 5th seed no less. They take on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in a row. The 8p9s roundtable breaks the matchup down.
How do you feel about the team’s form heading into the playoffs?
Will Furr: I’d feel much better if Victor Oladipo’s shot was falling, and if Myles Turner hadn’t returned to stasis after busting out after the All-Star break. The team’s defense (never thought I’d be saying that with this group) and, uh, camaraderie are on point. The offense lives and dies with Oladipo a bit too much for me. HOWEVER: I feel far better than I ever could’ve imagined prior to the season. The Pacers are playing like a playoff team.
Jonathan Matthes: In a word: thrilled. I firmly believe that it’s a great thing any time you’re in the playoffs. That’s more true this year. I’ve been high on this team since the summer, like, I thought the playoffs were possible. Not only are they possible, they’re real, concrete, and a 5 seed no less. And no matter how far Indy goes in these playoffs, they’re trending super-duper up and the experience will be invaluable. I’m thrilled for the team, this city, the state they represent and we, the fans. After the two years of meh and underachievement, it’s fantastic to finally have a team that represents Indiana so well.
Dylan Hughes: The team lately has really looked and felt like it is peaking at the right time. The chemistry we’ve been talking about all year is only growing stronger as time goes on. Myles Turner is still up-and-down, and him being on will be key in knocking off Cleveland. Glenn Robinson III has made shots lately which is promising.
Tony East: I feel lukewarm about the teams form heading into the playoffs. They closed the season fairly well, but not like “blow you out of the water” well. That being said, they are playing better than they have been for most of the season and they also are fully healthy, something we have rarely seen from this team all season. I think above average form and peak health sets them up well for success.
Ben Gibson: Outside of Myles Turner, everyone was at least in decent to good form heading into the playoffs. With LeBron James and Kevin Love able to out class them, they’ll need to be in more than average form heading into Game 1. Myles Turner needs to get things together quickly or he is heading into another long offseason with more questions than answers.
There was a question of whether the Pacers would play the Cavaliers or 76ers until the final day of the regular season, with the Cavaliers securing the 4 seed. Which team was your preferred round 1 matchup and why?
Furr: The 76ers, obviously. You’re crazy to want otherwise. LeBron has ended approximately 214 Pacers seasons. I could do without that again.
Matthes: Bring ‘em on! I’d have rather played Philly, I’m just not convinced they’re going to be a good playoff team, and that they mopped up on tired or subpar competition to close the year. Miami, with their experience, is going to be a tough team for the Sixers. But it should be a good series with the Cavs.
If you want to be the best, you got to beat the best, right? And there are none better than LeBron. This is Indy’s, what?, fourth crack at him in six years. It’ll be interesting to see which of Cleveland’s supporting cast steps up to be LeBron’s number 2. But there’s intrigue on the Pacers too, which Myles will show up? Will the hot shooting of Bojan and DC keep up? It’ll be fun.
Hughes: The easy answer is Philadelphia, as they are the least experienced and don’t have LeBron James. But it’s hard for me because I could totally see Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid dominating despite their age and lack of experience.
More from Pacers News
- 2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets
- Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
- 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
- 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
- Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?
Gun to my head, I’d still prefer Philly. They’d be a safer bet because of that lack of experience and the fact that Indiana has played them pretty well this season. Cleveland has LeBron, and the Pacers have seen enough of him in the postseason. The team around him may not be too good, and their team defense has sucked, but I still foresee them kicking it up a notch.
East: It was a lot closer than me than for most people. There is a reason that the Cavs won less games than the Sixers, and I know trades rectified some of those reasons, but I still think that the “who would I rather see the Pacers play?” question was close. That said, I think these two team are the best two in the Eastern Conference. So either one is tough. I would rather see the Pacers play against the best players, and thus I would rather see them face off with LeBron James and Cleveland, but I think they would have had a better chance of winning against the young Sixers.
Gibson: The 76ers. While they clearly are playing great basketball, I just don’t trust youth in the playoffs. While Indiana is actually a younger team (by the averages) all the starters but Bojan Bogdanovic have playoff experience. The bench has guys like Lance Stephenson and Cory Joseph who are post-season tested. I don’t think that makes Philadelphia a push-over, but I’d almost always bet on the more experienced team.
For the Pacers to win this series, what needs to happen?
Furr: Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner have to be on point. Both need to shoot well, and make their presence known on defense. This Cleveland team hasn’t been able to guard anyone: being able to get some stops may very well be the swing factor. Nothing quite changes the game flow like a big steal or a big blocked shot.
Matthes: Suffice to say, the Pacers need to come back to Indy, for game 6, with the series lead. If the Pacers are up 3-2 I think the Pacers will close them out for a few reasons. 1- Indy is intense come playoff time, and it’ll be tough for any opposing team to rally facing that energized crowd. 2- The Cavs are increasingly dependent on the three and that gives Indy 2/3 shots at facing a Cavalier team that has a bad shooting night. 3- the Pacers have closed well all season long and are unafraid of any opponent. I’d love to see their intensity will a series clincher on the line.
Hughes: First and foremost, Victor Oladipo needs to do what he has done all season—and maybe more. Paul George averaged 28 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists in the four-game sweep last season, but his play made every game close (Cleveland only won the series by a total of 16 points). They might need similar production from Oladipo. They really need some consistent play from Turner, as well.
More from 8 Points, 9 Seconds
- 2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets
- Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
- 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
- 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
- Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?
This may be his chance to fully emerge as a star talent, taking it to LeBron’s team and possibly beating them. There are games where he’s nailing threes and getting sick putback dunks, and others where he scores two points. Indiana needs more of the former. Support from the others would be great, too. In theory, Domantas Sabonis should have some success. Bojan Bogdanovic’s shooting could open a ton of things up offensively. Thaddeus Young and Cory Joseph’s defense could be difference-making.
East: Win the matchups at the margins. LeBron is gonna get his. It is impossible to stop him, and attempting to do so would be futile. But if the Pacers can with the matchup at every other position, it may be enough to keep pace with the high powered Cleveland offense. Can Collison keep up with GHill? Can the big men keep up with Thompson, Nance, and Love? Can Bojan stay engaged while getting outscored? These are the question that the Pacers have to answer correctly to stay afloat.
Gibson: Myles Turner must get back into form, particularly the more physical version we saw after the All-Star break. That’s the key to the series because we expect greatness from Victor Oladipo. We expect stability from Thaddeus Young. We know Bojan will go off in a game or two and that Darren Collison will hit some 3-pointers.
What do you think is the most important factor for each team heading into Game 1?
Furr: Easy answer, but defense. The Pacers spent much of the season as a top offense before falling off later in the year, but finished a stellar 8th on defense. Cleveland’s 5 out lineup with Kevin Love at center is absolutely brutal to defend, but has a bad bad time on defense. One of these teams will step up on the defensive side of the ball. LeBron still might (and I would assume will) wake up and remember to play defense now that the playoffs have started.
Matthes: For the Pacers: Myles Turner. Will Myles show up. Fortunately, unlike years past, Indy has Sabonis if Myles falters. But a tuned in Myles is a different animal and one that no Cav save LeBron could guard. Cleveland won’t be able to stop Vic, just like Indy won’t be able to stop LeBron. So assuming that’s happens, a strong Myles would give the Pacers two seismic forces to Cleveland’s one.
For Cleveland: that’s tough. I’m going with George Hill. He’s been off all year. But if he finds himself, hits those corner threes and possibly defends Vic, the advantage stays in Cleveland’s corner. Love is who he is, Green has never impressed me (although he’s good for a big dunk every couple games) and Hood won’t kill ya, but if Hill gives anything close to what he gave Indy and Utah…gulp.
Indiana Pacers
Hughes: Indiana will win this series if they can shut down everyone else around LeBron. If they show right off the bat that LeBron is going to have to do everything, that could have a mental impact on Cleveland. It also may call for some all-time LeBron performances. LeBron needs to make sure he gets everyone involved for that reason. Kevin Love may be huge in this series, as Thaddeus Young can only guard one of Love and LeBron. If Love gets Turner or someone else on him away from the rim, they may start feeding him the ball.
East: For the Cavaliers, it is clearly LeBron James. The best player of all time needs little in terms of background and introduction. If he starts at the 3, he is going to tear up the Pacers from the wing and create matchup problems. If he starts at the 4, the Cavs can put another shooter on the floor. I think the latter is more deadly, so the most important factor for Cleveland is what lineups do they surround LeBron with?
For the Pacers, it has been discussed ad nauseam, but its getting Myles Turners involved both offensively AND defensively. Using him on offense to space the floor and knock down jumpers is easy, Indiana has done it all year with some level of success. Using him as a post passer could work well in this series too since Cleveland’s defense stinks. But the team needs to get him involved and engaged on that end. On D, it is up to Turner himself to stay in it. He needs to be glued to his man, protect the paint, and use his butt to box out hard and keep the Cavs from getting extra possessions. Turner’s engagement will be crucial.
Gibson: Again, Myles Turner, for all the reasons listed above. The Pacers can’t stand too many duds from him in this series if they want to win. Even if he isn’t scoring or rebounding as much, he can’t be invisible.
Pacers vs. Cavs: Who wins, how many games, and why?
Furr: Cavs in 6. LeBron James is still LeBron James. Until someone knocks him out, it’s hard to pick against him. This Pacers team has been good, occasionally very good, but I think playoff LeBron is too much for the combination of Bojan Bogdanovic/Glenn Robinson III/Thad Young to handle. Having the best player on the court means everything in the playoffs.
Matthes: I think this series is a toss. Indy could win it in 6. I really do. But I could also see a series like the one Indy had against Chicago in 2012 where it was an incredibly close 5 game win for the Bulls, but in this case the Cavs. I think every game will be a dogfight, at least they will be if both teams show up, and I know the Pacers will be ready for every game. I say all that to say this: I’m going…what the hell, Pacers in 6. But as I said just a minute ago, this series could go any way.
Hughes: Cavaliers, seven games. This just seems like a year where weird things will happen, because weird things have already happened! Not weird enough for the Pacers to take the series, unfortunately, but Indiana’s good enough to give LeBron an immense challenge. LeBron hasn’t seen a challenge in the first round in a long time, but this year will be different.
East: Cavaliers in 5 games. It sucks to say, but the Cavs are just better. They have improved quite a lot from the team that the Pacers beat three times this season, and until I’m proven wrong, LeBron gets the benefit of the doubt in any Eastern Conference playoff series. He’s too good.
Gibson: Pacers in 7. Because why the hell not?
Bonus! Who takes Game 1 in Cleveland on Sunday? Score prediction?
Furr: Cleveland, 109-101.
Matthes: Pacers in a squeaker: Indiana 103 Cleveland 101. With the Cavs missing the last shot.
Hughes: Indiana has a huge chip on its shoulder, and LeBron isn’t afraid to lose a Game 1. I think the Pacers will go into the Q and steal one off them—115-110—which will surely get Pacers fans ahead of themselves and making Finals proclamations.
Next: Victor Oladipo for MIP or we riot
East: Cavs 110-98
Gibson: Pacers 111, Cavaliers 108