Who is the real team that will win at the Eastern Conference?
Analyze whether the Celtics or the Cavaliers are suitable to advance to the NBA Finals.
The Indiana Pacers lived in their names on Sunday nights.
The Pacers ran the floor at a breakneck tempo, dodging a second-half surge from the Cleveland Cavaliers and stole Game 1 of the 121-112 Eastern Conference Semi-Final Series.
Indiana highlighted the transition violation to create an open look from opening hints. And when the Pacer got them, they drained them – especially from across the arc.
The Pacers filmed 53% of the games from the floor (44/83), but the most impressive statistic was the 19th of the 36th day (52.8%) from the Indiana 3-point range. In fact, when compared to Cleveland’s nine converted 3Ss, that means the Pacers recorded a 30-point advantage from the deep.
Indiana reached double digits on scoring six players, four of which defeated at least 17. Guard Andrewnenbird, who knitted 3 of 5 out of 6, led the way with 23 points and six assists. Point guard Tyrees Halliburton added 22 points and a game-high 13 assist.
Throughout most of the game, the Pacers controlled the action and took a six-point lead at halftime.
The Cavs were down in the middle of the third at age 12, but they relied on guard Donovan Mitchell’s 12 points to spark a 20-4 run that allowed Cleveland to temporarily retrieve the lead.
Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 33 points, going with four assists and five rebounds, but he struggled significantly from the 3-point range and scored only one of 11 attempts.
Meeting semi-final preview: NYK-BOS | in-cle | IT-OCC
However, in the fourth quarter, the Pacers took a 15-4 run to take an eight-point lead in the final two minutes.
Game 2 will be in Cleveland on Tuesday (7pm, TNT).
