It took one of LeBron James’ best playoff performances to beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 2. Unless the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers get their acts together, then the Pacers can beat the Cavaliers.
LeBron James dropped 46 points on the Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers barely won Game 2. The series is tied 1-1 as it heads to Indiana and the Pacers should feel pretty good about themselves.
Through two games, the rest of the Cavaliers roster is doing little to help out LeBron. Outside of LBJ’s 78 points on 58.5 percent shooting, Cleveland’s roster is scored 110 points while shooting 39.1 percent to from the field. When LeBron is off the court, The Cavaliers are getting outscored by over 30 points per 100 possessions. They aren’t a good team without him.
While Playoff LeBron James remains one of the most fearsome things in NBA history, the rest of the Cavaliers are unable to defend or score against the Pacers consistently. LeBron opens up the floor with his shooting and physicality. You can’t play him too tightly or too loosely, and pretty much no matter how you play him, he is going to score.
But without him, the Pacers can break down each Cavaliers player with 1-on-1 pressure. On offense, they can’t deal with Victor Oladipo as he tears them apart with his speed and feathery shooting. They can’t handle Myles Turner’s efficiency and nearly anything else Indiana throws at them.
And that’s why the Pacers are in good shape heading into Game 3.
It took the 5th best performance of LeBron’s playoff career to beat the Pacers in Cleveland, and the Cavaliers nearly blew it at the end. This Pacers team is built to upset the Cavaliers and through two games, they’ve been the better team. Indiana can beat Cleveland, the only question is if they can beat LeBron.
And they can beat LeBron. They did in Game 1.
LeBron averages 28.4 points in playoff games in his career, which is impressive, but so far the Pacers are putting him in a position where he will have to average closer to 40 in every game for his team to win. LeBron very well may do that, but that’s putting an immense amount of pressure on one player, even an all-time great.
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?
And the chance to win Game 2 was still there despite LeBron’s 46 points. Victor Oladipo’s foul trouble was the difference maker for the Pacers, unfortunately. Indiana still could have won, but the Pacers are almost as bad as Cleveland when Oladipo is off the floor. A few more minutes of Oladipo and we might be talking about the Pacers sweeping the Cavaliers right now.
And that’s why Indiana can win Game 3.
LeBron James is the best player in the world — possibly ever — but his team isn’t rising to the occasion. If the rest of the Cavaliers show up in Game 3, then all bets are off. But if they remain dead-weight, then the Pacers are winning Game 3.
This is a testament to just how good LeBron is. He is dragging a lifeless team to a win against a Pacers team that made over half their shots in Game 2. Indiana dominated when it mattered in Game 1 and won three of the four quarters in Game 2. A few fewer turnovers or a couple made 3-pointers, and the Pacers might have won. Even with all of LeBron’s greatness, the margin for error was slim for the Cavaliers.
And that’s why the Pacers can with this series.
Next: 8p9s Mailbag: How to survive when Oladipo's on the bench
The ifs are big, but if they keep this up and the Cavaliers don’t offer James more support, then the Pacers will shock the world.