After last year's shocking conference finals appearance, the Indiana Pacers were determined to make it back this year. After eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, only one team stands in their way of achieving this goal once again--the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers, who had the best record in the NBA for much of the season, entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Furthermore, after sweeping the Miami Heat in the first round, the Cavaliers are considered even bigger championship contenders. Naturally, many are doubting Indiana's ability to win their series against Cleveland. However, the Pacers thrive as the underdogs and have a lot going for them. Furthermore, they hold one distinct advantage over every other team in the NBA that could improve their odds against Cleveland.
The Pacers played well against the Cavaliers all season
In the regular season, the Pacers and Cavaliers met up four times. The Pacers won the season series 3-1, including a comeback overtime victory in the season finale (though both teams played their reserves for most of the game). Cleveland lost just 18 times in the regular season, and three of those losses were against Indiana.
The Pacers were the only team in the league to beat the Cavaliers three times in the regular season. There were multiple teams who beat Cleveland twice, but no other team defeated them as much as the Pacers did during the season.
Once the playoffs hit, the regular season does not matter anymore. The Bucks were 3-1 against Indiana in the regular season but still lost to them in the first round in five games. However, this is still an intriguing stat nonetheless as the Pacers also have a few ways they can defeat the Cavaliers that many other teams do not.
As the Pacers prepare for their second-round playoff matchup against the Cavaliers, a lot of the conversation will be about how much needs to go their way to secure a series victory, which is valid. However, the Pacers are well-equipped to go head-to-head with the Cavaliers and make it a much more even series than many anticipate.
The Pacers have made it clear all season long that their goal is to win an NBA title. There is still a lot of basketball remaining, and the team will have to run through a few more obstacles to get there, but Pacers fans should be excited about the team's outlook. Regardless, for the Pacers to bring an NBA title to Indiana, they need to get through Cleveland first. And, as it seems, this is a much more doable task for the Pacers than many may expect.