Indiana Pacers suffer 116-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Indiana Pacers fall to 0-2 in the preseason following another loss to Cleveland.

The Indiana Pacers got off to a hot start against the Cavaliers in the second preseason matchup, getting out to an early 20-point lead. Despite Myles Turner and T.J. Warren sitting out, the starting lineup was on fire from the start, hitting shots at a high clip in the opening period. JaKarr Sampson, who provided the only real depth at center, was ejected early in the fourth quarter after a small scuffle with Isaac Okoro.

Three-point shots are falling for Indiana which is not a common occurrence, though it might be as we move forward. Surrounding Domantas Sabonis with shooters looks to be a deadly group on the floor from what we have seen from them so far in the preseason. Sabonis himself looks comfortable as he returns from an injury that ended his 2019-20 season. He finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes.

The game was tied at the end of the first half as Cleveland clawed back from the early deficit. Sloppy bench play, which was aided by turnovers and poor shot selection, slowed down Indiana’s offense from the first nine minutes but mistakes are bound to happen in the preseason. There were a lot of improvements from the opener, especially in terms of taking care of the ball.

Indiana turned the ball over just 12 times in this one after doing so 24 times in the first matchup. Turning the ball over that much is unrealistic and likely just a product of nerves but it is still good to see them address it early.

The Pacers continued the trend of high-volume three-point shooting. They attempted 40 threes and connected on 17 of them, good for 42.5 percent as a team. If they can continue shooting at this rate, the Pacers can be a deadly offense behind Oladipo, Warren, and Brogdon.

With just one preseason game left, I look forward to seeing the young guys once again and how they bounce back from losses. While results don’t fully matter, it is still important to improve and find ways to avoid losses whenever possible.