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Wrap-Up -- Coach Tyronn Lue wanted LeBron James to be more aggressive to start Game 2. The King did that and more.
After what could almost be described as a “quiet” triple-double in Game 1, Cleveland’s four-time MVP came out guns blazing on Wednesday night – scoring the game’s first 13 points, netting 20 in the first quarter and eventually leading both squads with 46 points as the Wine & Gold evened up the First Round, taking the 100-97 win over the Pacers at The Q.
Cleveland turned the tables on Indiana, which ran out to a 21-point first-quarter lead in Sunday’s win – riding LeBron’s scorching start to an 18-point edge late in the opening period.
”Coach Lue called the first play for me and it went down, so we went back to it and I was able to get another one,” said James. “I just felt like I was in a really good rhythm, so just tried to see how long I could stay in that zone and just try to make a mark on the game early on, especially after the way we started in Game 1.”
But like the Cavaliers did on Sunday, the Pacers continued to chip away for the rest of the night – cutting Cleveland’s lead to just three points with under a minute to play.
With 51 seconds remaining, Darren Collison drilled a triple to cut the Cavs’ advantage to a single possession at 95-92. George Hill was whistled for an offensive foul on Cleveland’s next possession, and with 27 seconds remaining, Victor Oladipo got a surprisingly clean look at a game-tying three-pointer.
But Oladipo’s attempt missed wide right and LeBron was fouled on the next two possessions, canning all four free throws to put the Cavs up seven, 99-92, with 18.6 to play. After JR Smith split a pair from the stripe, Oladipo drilled an inconsequential three at the buzzer to provide the game’s final score.
LeBron’s 46 points are a high-water postseason mark since his return to Cleveland in 2014 – and the Wine & Gold needed every bit of it.
On the night, Numeral 23 went 17-for-24 from the floor, including 2-of-5 from deep and 10-of-13 from the stripe, adding five boards and a pair of steals – tallying his 11th straight postseason double-double against the Pacers.
LeBron’s All-Star counterpart didn’t have quite as much success – with Oladipo, who led both teams with 32 points in Game 1, struggling with early foul trouble that limited him to just eight minutes before intermission.
Oladipo would eventually find his rhythm – finishing with 22 points to lead Indiana. Darren Collison was right behind, netting 10 of his 16 points during the Pacers’ frantic fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
Only two other Cavaliers apart from LeBron notched double-figures on Wednesday night.
Kevin Love, who got banged around physically in Game 2, added 15 points on 5-for-16 shooting, including 2-of-6 from deep, to go with eight boards.
Kyle Korver, who got the start on Wednesday after playing less than four minutes on Sunday, looked like his old self from beyond the arc – going 4-for-8 on the night, finishing with 12 points, three boards and an assist. Korver also took a pair of big first-half charges and registered a steal in 31 minutes of action.
Strong opening push helps Cavs tie their First Round series with the Pacers at one a piece.
”(Korver) does all the little things it takes to win,” praised Coach Lue after the win. “If you want to win a Championship, you have to do all the little things. Outside of his great shooting, he was just doing all the little things and making the extra efforts, being in the right place defensively.”
Both teams shot the ball well on Wednesday night – with the Pacers hitting on 53 percent of their attempts and Cleveland right behind at 51 percent. But the Cavaliers canned 11 triples to six for the Pacers, taking 10 more three throws on the evening as well.
Turning Point -- The Cavaliers and Pacers have played 96 minutes of basketball in the First Round and there hasn’t been a single lead-change in the series – with the Pacers going wire-to-wire on Sunday and Cleveland returning the favor on Wednesday night.
With that in mind, the tide never really turned in Game 2 – but there was a fourth-quarter play that seemed to stem the Pacers’ comeback not a second too soon.
The Pacers were in hot pursuit, cutting Cleveland’s double-digit edge to just four points with 3:43 to play. George Hill split a pair of free throws to make it five, 91-86. But on Indy’s next possession, JR Smith badgered Victor Oladipo in the backcourt, picking him clean and converting the steal into a layup on the other end to put the Cavs back up a touchdown.
Indiana would eventually cut the lead back down to three – but would get no closer the rest of the way.
By the Numbers – 40-0 … Cavaliers’ record this season, now including Playoffs, when leading after three quarters – the only team in the NBA with a perfect mark and the best such record since the Chicago Bulls went 64-1 back in 1995-96.
Quotable – Kyle Korver, on whether he’s concerned about dropping Game 1 of the series …
”Every moment is big in the Playoffs. Moments can change games. Moments can create a run. So I think that’s on all our minds – if there’s a loose ball, you dive on the floor, if you can take a charge, do that. Playoffs are all about scrapping and doing whatever it takes, right? Whatever it takes.”
Up Next -- With the series knotted at one game apiece, the First Round matchup shifts to Indianapolis, where the Central rivals will square off for Game 3 on Friday night (7 p.m. ET) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Game 4 is slated for Sunday night in Indy (8:30 p.m.) before the series returns to Cleveland for Game 5 next Wednesday night (4/25 – time TBD). If necessary, it’s back to Indiana for Game 6 next Friday (4/27) and, should things go the distance, Game 7 would be the following Sunday (4/29) at The Q.