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Date: Sunday, April 22
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
For a while in the first half of Game 3, it looked the Cavaliers had figured things out. But then the Pacers, and Bojan Bogdanovic, erupted in the second half to hold on for a two-point victory and a 2-1 lead in the series. Now the Cavs will look to provide the counterpunch.
This promises to be an interesting series. The Cavaliers have struggled to play consistent basketball all season and this is the first time a LeBron James-led team has dropped the opening game of the opening series. The Pacers, on the other hand, have been one of the biggest surprises in the league. Led by Victor Oladipo, they shocked everybody with their prolific offense and high energy.
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Last season's playoff results: Cavaliers were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in NBA Finals; Pacers were swept by the Cavaliers in the first round
Injury report: Kevin Love jammed his thumb late in Game 2, but coach Tyronn Lue says he's fine.
Cavaliers' starting lineup: G George Hill; G Kyle Korver; F J.R. Smith; F LeBron James; C Kevin Love
Pacers' starting lineup: G Darren Collison; G Victor Oladipo; F Bojan Bogdanovic; F Thaddeus Young; C Myles Turner
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The Cavaliers win if they flip the switch. They've been an up-and-down team all season, but they finished the season with flashes of who they want to be come postseason time. Larry Nance Jr. gives them a lot of versatility off the bench and is a game-changer for them. However, none of this matters if they can't flip the switch and look like the team everybody expects them to be. That will depend on LeBron James.
The Pacers can win this series if the Cleveland's defense doesn't improve in the playoffs. The Cavs have been one of the NBA's worst defensive teams this season and ranks 29th in defensive efficiency. The Pacers have a fast-paced offense that can exploit the Cavs in a hurry. They're an average defensive team, though, so they'll need to outscore the Cavs to have a chance.
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SportsLine projections
According to SportsLine data scientist Stephen Oh, the Cavaliers have a 58.2 percent chance to win the first round and a 29.3 percent chance of reaching the conference finals.
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