Game Summary
The defending NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers will open the 2017 Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers. Tipoff for Game 1 from Quicken Loans Arena is at 3:00 p.m. (ET).
Going back to the 2015 postseason, the Cavs have won 11 straight playoff games at The Q over Eastern Conference opponents.
CAVS TO DON WHITE JERSEYS.
From where to catch all the action to Saturday's game notes, Cavs.com has you covered.
ABC
WTAM 1100, 87.7 FM La Mega
Joe G. has your five keys to a victory.
Learn more about Saturday's matchup.
Discuss on Wine & Gold Nation.
Since 2015, Cleveland has a 13-1 playoff home record. This past regular season, the Wine and Gold went 31-10 at home, which was tied for the second-best mark in the entire NBA.
In the 2016-17 regular season, the Cavaliers went 3-1 against the Pacers, and have also won seven straight home games over Indiana.
In four games against Indiana this campaign, Cleveland averaged 118.3 points on .481 shooting from the field, including .426 from beyond the arc. The Cavs, who put up over 130 points twice in those meetings, also averaged 15.8 three-point makes per game against Indiana.
Any conversation about the Pacers starts and ends with Paul George. Indiana's All-Star forward ended the regular season with 12 consecutive games with 20 or more points with six games of 30 or more over that span. He also finished the regular season ranked 15th in the NBA in scoring with career-high 23.7 points per game, fifth in free throw percentage, 12th in 3-pointers made (195), 31st in three-point percentage and 14th in steals.
This Playoff matchup is the second time the Central Division foes have met in the postseason (1998 First Round).
Where to Catch the Action
TV: ABC
Radio: WTAM 1100, 87.7 La Mega
For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike and @chones22 on Twitter.
Probable Starters/Status Update*
#2 - Kyrie Irving
#5 - J.R. Smith
#23 - LeBron James
#0 - Kevin Love
#13 - Tristan Thompson
G
G
F
F
C
#44 - Jeff Teague
#11 - Monta Ellis
#13 - Paul George
#21 - Thaddeus Young
#33 - Myles Turner
Status Update: (Cavs) - None to Report
Status Update: (Pacers) - Al Jefferson, (Sprained Left Ankle, Questionable), Glenn Robinson III, (Sore Left Calf, Questionable)
*Subject to change.
Head-to-Head Matchup
November 16: Without LeBron James and J.R. Smith, the Cavs fall, 103-93, in Indiana; Kevin Love finished with 27 points and 16 boards and Kyrie added 20 points and seven helpers, but C.J. Miles keyed a late run that iced the win.
February 8: One game after a thrilling overtime win in Washington – snapping the Wiz’ seven-game win streak – the Cavs do the same to the red-hot Pacers, with Kyle Korver tying a career-best with eight triples as the Cavs won in an arena where they’d dropped 12 of the previous 13.
February 15: With Kevin Love on the shelf with a knee injury, LeBron and Kyrie do the heavy lifting – with Kyle Korver pitching in again off the bench as the Cavs won their seventh game out of eight February contests, dropping the Pacers – 113-104 – at The Q in the final game before the All-Star Break.
April 2: LeBron and Paul George waged their classic duel. George finished with 43 points on 16-for-33 shooting, including 6-of-16 from deep to go with nine boards, nine assists, three steals and a block. James notched his 11th triple-double of the season, scoring 21 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter, going 16-for-29 overall with a game-high 16 boards, 11 assists, two steals and a block. In the second overtime, Kevin Love notched nine of his 20 points, going 4-of-4 from the floor in the dramatic win.