FINAL BUZZER: Man, that was close. The Pacers had a great chance to steal Game 1 on the Cavaliers’ home court, but this C.J. Miles jumper rimmed out. Cavaliers win, 109-108.
Pacers vs. Cavaliers, NBA Playoffs 2017 live updates: Cavaliers survive late Indiana push
Old foes faced each other in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs, and it was a dandy.
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Paul George had 29 points, including a long three-pointer to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to one before that final shot. So why didn’t he take the final shot? The Cavaliers wouldn’t let him.
Smart strategy.
LeBron James had 32 points and 13 assists in a spectacular playoff opener, but this isn’t the best omen for Cleveland. They couldn’t stop the Pacers consistently, a continuation of their defensive problems from the end of the regular season.
This could be a long series after all.
20 seconds, fourth quarter: Paul George just hit a 30-foot three to give the Pacers a chance.
After a LeBron James miss, the Pacers have the ball down by one with 20 seconds left. Here. We. Go.
4:53, fourth quarter: Cleveland is still up, but Indiana is hanging around thanks to Lance Stephenson, who has 16 points. Paul George has been quiet as a scorer, but just set up Jeff Teague for a critical three. Cavs 103, Pacers 99.
End of third quarter: Cavaliers lead 92-84 as James continues to absolutely dominate: 26 points, 10-of-13 shooting, 10 assists, five rebounds. The other two of the Big Three have come up big, too, with Kyrie Irving dropping 21 points so far and Kevin Love notching 17 points on seven shots.
6:08, third quarter: Paul George is incredible — like, damn. 25 points on 8-of-14 shooting so far in every different way, from pull-up threes in transition to post turnarounds when a smaller defender ended up on him.
Speaking of, Jeff Teague got stuck guarding James twice with no help. Naturally, LeBron scored both times. C’mon, Indiana.
Halftime: It’s a 66-59 lead for Cleveland, and Indiana’s defense simply can’t slow down LeBron James. There’s really only one player who can guard James effectively, and the Pacers also need Paul George to average 30 points all series to have a chance. That pulls him in two directions, and is really too much to ask even for a player that good.
James has 14 points and eight assists at the break. George leads Indiana with 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting and four assists in 20 minutes, but he’ll have to guard James more in the second half if Indiana has any hopes of containing him.
4:15, second quarter: Paul George has four first half triples, helping Indiana keep up with the Cavaliers, who is shooting over 50 percent with seven makes behind the arc.
6:00, second quarter: This James dunk. WHEW.
9:26, second quarter: Did James give Lance Stephenson a glare? Remember: they, of course, have some history.
End of first quarter: Cavaliers lead 34-29. Kevin Love leads the way with 10 points.
1:22, first quarter: LeBron just had a mini burst of being LeBron. This pass was amazing, but he has his first four points on back-to-back plays, too.
Here’s a fast break layup.
3:20, first quarter: Monta Ellis hit his first two shots and has an assist. That’s a good sign for Indiana, because Ellis has been one of the league’s worst players this season. I don’t say that to be mean, but he’s averaging 8.5 points on just 43 percent shooting in a big role for the Pacers, he doesn’t get to the line, he doesn’t assist too frequently, and he turns it over too much.
Maybe there’s a better version that 31-year-old Ellis can still access.
6:00, first quarter: The game is tied at 18 with Paul George starting strong. Remember how fun George and LeBron facing off used to be. Let’s see those two going head to head with intensity all series.
The 2017 NBA Playoffs begins with an old grudge match between LeBron James and some of his biggest rivals: Paul George and Lance Stephenson. James met those two and the Indiana Pacers for three straight years from 2012-14, engaging in some bitter playoff battles. The Pacers are a much weaker team than they were then, but there will be plenty of nostalgia in this series.
It’s possible that the Pacers could trouble James’ Cavaliers, too. Cleveland struggled down the stretch this season, going just 14-15 after the All-Star Break. The Cavaliers surrendered 111.2 points per 100 possessions in those 29 games, the second-worst mark in the NBA. James’ teams have a history of flipping the switch, but this is still a bad omen.
The Pacers enter the playoffs playing their best ball of an uneven season. They’re on a five-game winning streak and seem to have discovered an identity after an odd season. George has been scorching from the field since the All-Star break, while Stephenson has provided new energy since he arrived at the end of March.
These two teams recently gave us one of the games of the season back on April 2. James lit up the Pacers for a 41-point triple double, but George matched him shot for shot in scoring 43. It eventually ended with a Cavaliers victory in double overtime, but Cavaliers fans may be worried that the competitiveness of that game was a harbinger of things to come.
How to Watch
Place: Quicken Loans Arena
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Online: WatchESPN
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