Even though the Indiana Pacers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their series, there was a big adjustment Rick Carlisle needed to make the rest of the way. In Game 2, he did exactly that by relying more on his top players and limiting his rotation (especially in the second half), which helped the Pacers' comeback.
Though the Pacers ran an 11-man rotation in both games against Cleveland so far, their bench played fewer minutes in Game 2. Furthermore, in the second half, the Pacers' bench combined for just 34 minutes as opposed to the starters' 86. Outside of Bennedict Mathurin, nobody on the Pacers' bench logged double-digit minutes in the second half. Additionally, Mathurin was the only Pacers' bench player to record any playing time in the fourth quarter.
This was a fantastic decision by Carlisle, who continues to coach the Pacers to playoff victories. With the Pacers leading the series 2-0 on their way back to Indiana, what Carlisle does next will be worth monitoring as the team is just two wins away from their second straight conference finals appearance.
The Pacers needed their top players to complete comeback in Game 2
Indiana was down for most of the game, and they were down big. Nearly halfway through the third quarter, the Pacers were down by 20 points. Furthermore, the Pacers were down by seven points with less than a minute left, but they managed to rally late in the game and secure a one-point victory.
The Pacers have tremendous depth, and that is the main reason it is somewhat justifiable to have a deeper playoff rotation than most teams do. However, they needed their stars to take over in the second half to complete the comeback, and that is exactly what happened.
In the second half of the game, Aaron Nesmith scored 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting and made crucial defensive plays late in the game to give Indiana a chance. The Pacers also got tremendous play from Tyrese Haliburton in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter.
There is a fair argument to be had that the Pacers should simply trim their rotation the rest of the playoffs. Especially since their series against Cleveland is not over yet, it is important for the Pacers to keep their foot on the pedal. However, Carlisle may have found the perfect compromise, and it is exactly what could guarantee another conference finals appearance for Indiana.