2016-17 Game Rewind

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Midway through the third quarter, with the Pacers attempting to rally themselves back into the game, an opportunity was presented in the form of a fastbreak. As Thaddeus Young sprinted towards the basket, LeBron James wasn't far behind, taking flight and swatting Young's layup out of bounds.

From that moment forward, the Cavaliers put forth a 9-3 run to extend their lead to an 80-69 advantage, proceeding to beat Indiana 106-102 in Game 4 and finish the series with a sweep, eliminating the Pacers from the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

"It was a rough night, nothing I haven’t dealt with all series in terms of double teams and traps," said Paul George after the game. "Just a slow night for me to get a rhythm."

In a series in which the the first three games had all come down to the wire, Sunday's finale was no different, as the Pacers managed to take a 102-100 lead late in the game, sending The Fieldhouse into hysterics. But James, who finished the series averaging 32.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and nine assists, took the oxygen out of the Pacers' comeback, flinging in a go-ahead 3-pointer to put the Cavaliers back on top for the remainder of the game.

The loss marked the fourth time in the last six seasons that Paul George and the Pacers have been bounced from the postseason by a LeBron James-led team, and on Sunday, James was in full command, scoring 33 points to go along with 10 rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

James wasn't alone in his contributions. Kyrie Irving finished his night with 28 points while the third member of Cleveland's impressive trio, Kevin Love, did his damage on the boards, hauling in 16 rebounds.

"They’re a tough team," Kevin Love said. "In the fourth quarter, we missed a lot of shots. We did a poor job of executing. LeBron made a big shot for us there at the end."

Paul George, who had scored 29 or more points in each of the first three games, struggled to catch of rhythm on Sunday, finishing his night with 15 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

Much of Indiana's offense came from Lance Stephenson, who connected on four 3-pointers and finished with 22 points, and Myles Turner, who after having three games in which his shots wouldn't fall, found his touch, scoring 20 points and snaring nine rebounds.

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In the fourth quarter, fighting for their postseason lives, Stephenson got the crowd at The Fieldhouse back into the game by converting an and-1 on a fastbreak to bring the Pacers within six of the lead. Minutes later, it was George who got the crowd going as he drilled a 3-pointer from the wing to cut the score down to a 98-93 Cavaliers lead with 6:26 remaining.

After a Cavaliers timeout, a quick bucket from Irving was followed with a torrent of Indiana scoring, as the Pacers rallied to a 5-0 run capped by a layup from Turner, which triggered yet another Cavaliers timeout as Indiana trailed 100-98 with 4:17 remaining.

With under three minutes remaining, it was Thad Young who tied things up at 100, nailing a hook shot to knot the game.

As the clock ticked down, George tried to get a shot off in the lane, but it sailed wide. Luckily for Indiana, Young was patrolling the paint, rising up and tipping in the miss to give Indiana its first lead since they were up 28-27 in the second quarter.

But with the Cavs on offense, it was James again who played the role of hero for Cleveland, knocking down a 3-pointer to put Cleveland back up by one. With the Cavaliers up 103-102, James tried again to hit from deep, but this time his shot rimmed out. As the rebound sailed towards the corner, Irving broke on it, corralling the offensive board and setting up Kyle Korver to take free throws with 19.1 seconds left in the game. The sharpshooter hit both, putting Cleveland up 105-102 and forcing a Pacers timeout.

On their final possession, after the ball changed hands to the Cavs and was regained by the Pacers, George attempted a 3-pointer to tie, but the shot was long and James secured the rebound, spelling the end for the Pacers and their season.

"It was a fight every game," explained Stephenson at his locker. "I don't feel like they had one easy game. We tried our best. But every time we threw a punch they threw one right back, and that's why they won."

In the must-win game, Indiana started off the afternoon in control, forcing the first timeout of the game when George connected on a wide-open 3-point look to give Indiana a 13-10 lead.

For the Cavaliers, the play of Irving and James set the tempo for the visitors, scoring 14 of Cleveland's first 16 points.

As the first quarter drew to a close, Irving and Jeff Teague traded buckets in the final moments, with each connecting on floaters as the Pacers maintained a two-point edge at the break, leading 24-22.

After not making a 3-pointer for the entire first quarter, Cleveland started to heat up from downtown, drilling three 3-pointers in the first four minutes of the second quarter to take a 37-32 lead with 7:55 remaining in the half.

Following a Pacers timeout, Stephenson helped spark a Pacers rally, drilling two threes to pull the score to a 38-37 Cavs lead. But Cleveland's backup point guard, Deron Williams, was a menace for Indiana's defense, scoring six straight Cavalier points to extend Cleveland's lead to 43-39.

But out of a timeout, it was Stephenson who spirited the Pacers again, drilling his fourth 3-pointer of the half to cut the deficit down to just one point.

After the Pacers knotted things up at 50, James began to lock in, cutting to the basket on consecutive possessions to put the Cavaliers up 54-50. On the defensive side of the ball, James drew a charge against Myles Turner with 2:18 remaining in the half, giving Cleveland another chance to extend its lead.

Following the game being tied up at 50, Cleveland closed the half with an 8-2 run as Indiana went into the locker room with three of its best players — Paul George, Myles Turner, and Lance Stephenson — dealing with foul trouble.

With a new half came a new resolve from the Pacers, who charged back at the Cavaliers and forced a Cleveland timeout when Paul George rose up and hit from downtown, making the score a 65-63 Cavs lead just 3:41 into the third.

The Cavs, however, were able to regain control of the game, eventually outscoring the Pacers 30-25 in the third quarter to take an 11-point advantage into what would end up being the Pacers' final quarter of basketball of the 2016-17 season.

In the fourth, the Pacers made a run at the lead — capturing it briefly — but were met with resistance by James and company at every turn. Despite outscoring the Cavaliers 25-18 over the final 12 minutes of play, it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit created by Cleveland in the second and third quarters. And even with an inspired finish and a late chance to tie, the Cavaliers finished the game at the foul line, sending the Pacers' season to an end with a frantic finale on Sunday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

"We were playing well and the energy was great, we were competing at a high level," said Jeff Teague of the final moments. "It just didn't go our way."

The Pacers held the Cavaliers to 41.1 percent shooting, but Cleveland went to free throw line 27 times, making 23 of them.

The Cavaliers had just 11 assists on the night.

Five Pacers scored in double figures, with Myles Turner and Lance Stephenson each reaching or surpassing 20 points.

Jeff Teague finished with a double-double, scoring 15 points and passing out 10 assists.

"I think we came out and we showed heart. It was a very difficult game emotionally. I thought our guys fought again tonight. We fought our way back in the game, took the lead. Give credit to Cleveland.  They made shots, stops and got big rebounds when they needed to." -Pacers head coach Nate McMillan

"It’s really frustrating to continue losing to the same team or same person. It’s real frustrating. It’s what I work hard for in the summers to try to help lead a team along and ultimately, it’s who I am always going to see and face. But again, we just came up short and didn’t do enough." -Paul George

"Offensively we were not that good. We missed some shots. We didn’t play with the same spunk and pace. I thought we played with pace early on, but with two minutes to into the fourth quarter, we kind of stopped and started walking the ball up the floor.  Defensively, I thought we were really good.  I thought Lance (Stephenson) made some shots.  That was part of our game plan to show Paul George a crowd because he’s a great player.  We have to give up something.  I give credit to Lance, he played great today. He made shots that kept them in the game.  Without his shots that he made, we probably would have went up by 18 in the half.  We did a great job on PG.  We kept him to 15 points tonight.  I thought we did a good job on C.J. Miles the whole series – he has been a Cavs killer since I have been here." -Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue

The Pacers, who finished the regular season as the NBA's second-best free throw shooting team, made 10-of-17 free throws on Sunday afternoon. Additionally, Indiana was whistled for two technical fouls on Sunday, leading to two points for the Cavaliers.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 102, Cavaliers 106 (Game 4)

Wheat Hotchkiss

After dropping Games 1 and 2 of their first-round playoff series in Cleveland, the Pacers appeared on their way to an emphatic bounce-back win in Game 3 on Thursday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

But LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers showed why they are the reigning NBA champions in the second half. James registered a triple-double and scored 28 of his game-high 41 points over the final two quarters to lead the Cavs to a stunning 119-114 comeback win.

The Pacers set a franchise record for points in the first half of a playoff game, opening up a 74-49 lead over the Cavaliers through two quarters. But Cleveland rallied, outscoring Indiana 35-17 in the third quarter and eventually moving in front with 6:28 remaining in the fourth.

"Here we are up (25) to start the second half and a chance to put our foot on their throat," Pacers forward Paul George said after the loss. "And we came out relaxed."

The two teams wound up trading the lead four times over the next couple minutes before LeBron James' layup off an inbounds pass gave Cleveland a 105-104 lead with 4:52 to play. Kyle Korver's 3-pointer pushed the Cavaliers' lead to four points, but George answered with a triple of his own on the other end.

James, however, continued his brilliant second-half performance by burying a three from the left corner that made it 111-107 with 2:50 remaining. The next basket didn't come until Channing Frye's 3-pointer with 54.8 seconds left, the finishing touch on Cleveland's colossal comeback.

"We didn't pressure on the ball, we didn't make anything tough," George said about the second half. "I thought they had stretches where they were walking into wide-open 3-pointers. They can't do that.

"We got beat like that in Game 1. We got beat like that in Game 2. At some point, we've got to nip that in the bud."

James finished with 41 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists, going 14-for-27 from the field and 6-for-12 from 3-point range.

George was as brilliant in the loss, nearly recording his own triple-double. He finished with 36 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists.

The Pacers, however, struggled mightily in the second half, making just 13-of-51 shots (25.5 percent) over the final two quarters.

"How we played in the first half, they played in the second," Pacers guard Lance Stephenson said. "We just let down."

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The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair initially, with four ties and six lead changes in the early going. But the Pacers seized control midway through the period when their reserves triggered a 10-0 run to give the Blue & Gold the first sizable advantage of the night.

Stephenson brought the energy off the bench in the early going. The fan favorite received a standing ovation when he first checked into the contest, then promptly drilled an open 3-pointer. Stephenson set up fellow reserve Kevin Seraphin early and often in the first quarter, as the Frenchman racked up nine points in just 4:25 in the opening frame, six of them coming during that 10-0 run.

As a team, Indiana was on fire in the opening period, knocking down 14-of-21 shots (66.7 percent) to open up a 37-27 lead over the defending champs.

"They definitely jumped all over us," James said. "We knew we'd have to take one of their punches, but they gave us a flurry, more than we expected."

The home team also got an encouraging lift early from second-year center Myles Turner. The team's third-leading scorer struggled mightily in the first two games of the series in Cleveland, but he knocked down a jumper on the opening possession of Game 3 and ignited the crowd in the second quarter with arguably the best dunk of his young career.

Turner missed a jumper on the right baseline, but hustled past Kevin Love to collect his own rebound, then bodied Tristan Thompson out of the way in mid-air while throwing down a monster one-handed slam that sent the sellout crowd into hysterics. Turner was so jacked up by the dunk he was still pounding his chest and gesturing to the crowd when J.R. Smith's 3-point attempt bounced out of bounds on the ensuing possession.

George, meanwhile, got off to an uncharacteristically slow start offensively, missing his first four shots and scoring just two points in the first quarter before returning to his torrid playoff production in the second period. George erupted for 21 points in the second quarter alone, helping Indiana stretch its lead to as many as 26 points and taking a 74-49 lead into the break.

Indiana's 74 first-half points shattered the previous franchise NBA playoff record of 65, set on June 2, 1995 against Orlando and again on April 17, 2004 vs. Boston. The Pacers shot 56.8 percent from the floor and went 10-for-17 from 3-point range in the first half.

"That first half, we felt like a real team," Stephenson said. "We were playing together, we were pushing the ball, we were making the right plays, we were hitting the open guys.

But the Cavaliers opened the third quarter with a 13-3 run to trim the deficit to 15. The Pacers pushed their lead back to 20 points after back-to-back 3-pointers by Jeff Teague and Stephenson, only for Cleveland to immediately reel off 14 unanswered points, capped by a James three from eight feet beyond the 3-point line.

A pair of Seraphin free throws ended the Pacers' scoreless streak, but James hit another 3-pointer on the other end to make it 89-84 with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Stephenson drew James' fourth foul on the ensuing possession and knocked down both foul shots to give Indiana a seven-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

"We couldn't push like we were because we weren't getting stops," Pacers guard C.J. Miles said about the Pacers' second-half slump. "We were getting stops in the first half so that allowed us to push the tempo and move the ball and not let the defense get set.

"When you're not getting stops, now you're coming down against a more set defense every time and kind of getting stagnant."

The Cavaliers continued to chip away at Indiana's lead in the fourth quarter, eventually tying the game at 98 on James' driving dunk with seven minutes to play.

Cleveland stripped the ball from George on the next possession, leading to another dunk for James on the break, giving the Cavs their first lead since the 6:41 mark in the first quarter. Jeff Teague put the Pacers back in front with an acrobatic 3-pointer while drawing a foul on the other end, setting the stage for a wild finish that seemed utterly inconceivable just an hour and a half earlier.

"It happened so fast," Stephenson marveled after the game.

Teague had 15 points and seven assists in the loss, while Thaddeus Young recorded a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Stephenson added 13 points and six boards off the bench.

Love, Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, and Frye each scored 13 points for Cleveland, while Korver added 12 on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.

The Pacers will look to stave off elimination on Sunday afternoon in Game 4, scheduled for 1:00 PM ET at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

"We're playing for pride now," Teague said. "We're all competitors in here and we all believe in one another.

The Cavaliers outscored Indiana 70-40 in the second half. Cleveland shot 55.3 percent from the field and 12-for-21 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range and committed zero turnovers over the final two quarters.

George set a new playoff mark with 23 points in the first half and his 21 points in the second quarter, matched his most in any quarter ever (regular season or playoffs).

George's 15 rebounds were a playoff career high. He previously had 14 on April 24, 2014 at Atlanta and on May 14, 2013 against the Knicks.

Young had his fourth career postseason double-double and set a new playoff career high with 14 rebounds.

The Pacers have now lost the first three games of a best-of-seven playoff series for the second time in franchise history. They also dropped their first three games in the first round to top-seeded Chicago in 2011 and eventually lost the series in five games.

James finished with the seventh 40-point triple-double in NBA history.

The Cavaliers won despite not playing All-Stars Love and Irving at all in the fourth quarter. They instead rode with James and bench players like Korver, Frye, and Deron Williams after James, Korver, and Frye combined for 32 of Indiana's 35 points in the third quarter.

"I thought we came out kind of passive. You knew they were going to be more aggressive, taking the ball to the basket and lining up for the three-ball. When they started to get momentum, I thought we got a little hesitant with our offense. I just don't think we established that killer instinct." -Pacers head coach Nate McMillan

"We just got away from what the first half was about. I thought in the first half we did a great job of attacking early in the offense, attacking early in the shot clock, getting the ball up early and exploring, really. I thought we slowed the pace, slowed the game down and that gives a team momentum. And they took advantage of it in the second half." -George

"I just think we weren't making shots and we weren't making the same plays we were in the first half. With a team like that, we have to put them away. We got to the fourth and just kept making mistakes, and we just can't do that against a team like that." -Pacers guard Monta Ellis

"Channing (Frye), Shump (Iman Shumpert), D-Will (Deron Williams) and Kyle (Korver), we were on point defensively and offensively we knew exactly what we wanted to get to. The best way to get offense is to defensively create missed shots." -James on the Cavaliers' late-game lineup

The Cavaliers set a new NBA playoff record for largest halftime deficit overcome (25 points). Overall, the Cavaliers' 26-point comeback tied for the third-biggest comeback in NBA playoffs history.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 114, Cavaliers 119 (Game 3)

In Game 2 of their series against the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, the Pacers fell victim to an offensive flurry to open the second half, never fully recovering and falling 117-111 on Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena. The loss drops the Pacers into a 0-2 hole as they return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for Games 3 and 4 this week.

In a similar fashion to Game 1 being a missed opportunity for the Pacers, Game 2 had its frustrations as well, as LeBron James turned it over an uncharacteristic eight times. Even with the missteps, Indiana was unable to capitalize, especially after getting outscored 33-20 in the third quarter.

It was already a double-digit Cavaliers lead in the third when the Pacers attempted to guard Kevin Love with the undersized Lance Stephenson.

The Cavaliers responded by feeding Love on every possession, with the result being a 10-0 Cleveland run in which Love scored all 10 points, then drew a charge of defense for good measure.

By the time Indiana was able to respond to the outpouring from Love, who finished with 27 points, the Cavaliers had built a 19-point lead, their biggest of the night.

To close the third, in which Cleveland outscored Indiana by 13, Irving hit a step-back 3-pointer, putting the Cavaliers up 96-78 going into the final quarter of Game 2.

Indiana made two spirited rallies in the fourth, the first of which got the lead down to 102-91 after a Thaddeus Young layup. But Kyrie Irving responded in force, scoring three straight Cleveland buckets, including a 3-pointer to make it 109-94. Irving finished his night with a game-high 37 points.

But even then, the Pacers weren't ready to call it quits. A slick feed from George to Myles Turner in the paint with 3:14 remaining in the game chopped the deficit to just seven points.

After forcing a jump ball and winning the tip, the Pacers pulled even closer, turning their run to 10-0 when George hit a runner in the lane.

James responded with his 25th point of the night, bullying his way to the basket to put the Cavs up 111-104. But George was quick to initiate offense, picking up a foul and drilling both of his free throws to get it back to a five-point game with 1:45 remaining.

Finally, a missed 3-point attempt from George, coupled with an offensive rebound by Tristan Thompson on the other end, spelled the end of the game for Indiana, spoiling its comeback bid from 19 points down as the Pacers were forced to foul in the game's closing seconds.

To open the night, the Pacers were in the zone offensively, with George slamming home the game's first bucket and nailing two 3-pointers to put Indiana up 9-4 in the first quarter.

From there, however, the Cavs swung back, embarking on a 10-2 run which put Cleveland up 14-11.

Even after a 3-pointer from J.R. Smith — who would later exit with a hamstring strain — put the Cavaliers up 19-16, Indiana came right back with a 3-pointer of its own, this time from the hands of point guard Jeff Teague, tying the game at 19 all.

But with three minutes left in the opening quarter, an errant Pacers pass was collected by James, who ran the length of the court and threw down a thundering dunk, sending Quicken Loans Arena into a deafening roar and forcing Pacers head coach Nate McMillan to spend a timeout.

Out of the break, with reserves Lance Stephenson and Glenn Robinson III inserted in the game, Indiana used a quick 6-0 burst to regain control of the lead with a 27-24 advantage.

That lead wouldn't hold for long, as Love and Deron Williams connected on back-to-back 3-pointers for a 6-0 run of their own.

When the buzzer sounded to end the first quarter, Cleveland led Indiana 32-29.

As the second quarter opened, the Pacers were unable to contain James on either end, with the Cavaliers opening the frame on an 8-0 tear, six of which were from James. The onslaught put the Pacers down 40-29, their largest deficit of the night at that point, as McMillan called timeout with 8:40 left in the half to regroup his team.

Indiana responded out of the timeout, getting three straight buckets from Stephenson to help get its deficit back to single digits.

The Cavaliers answered Indiana's run much like it did for the entire game: a barrage of 3-pointers. Cleveland hit 9-of-16 3-point attempts in the first half, including back-breakers from Williams and Love in the second quarter to push the Cavaliers lead back to double-digits. The Cavs finished the night having made 13-of-31 from deep.

After falling behind by 10, Indiana closed the first half out strong, using a 5-0 run capped by a free throw from Robinson III to draw the deficit to a 63-58 lead at halftime.

When the second half began in Cleveland, it mirrored the start of the second quarter, as Cleveland jumped out on a 7-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Iman Shumpert to force McMillan to burn his first timeout of the half just 1:35 seconds into the third.

From that point forward, the Cavaliers began to catch fire, using Love's personal 10-0 run to push the advantage to nearly 20 points.

The Pacers had two final threatening runs in them, rattling off a 7-0 run to open up the fourth quarter and get the score down to a 96-85 deficit. Then came Indiana's 12-2 strike with under five minutes left. But even with the outpourings of offense, the Pacers still couldn't make up for the deficit that was created by Cleveland's rollicking third quarter, putting the Pacers in desperation mode as the series returns to Indiana with the Blue & Gold down 2-0.

All of Cleveland's "Big Three" surpassed 20 points on the night. Irving had 37, James 25, and Love 27.

In their franchise history, the Cavaliers have never lost a series in which they led 2-0.

The Pacers and Cavaliers each shot better than 50 percent from the field, with the Cavaliers leading the way shooting 55.3 percent.

Kevin Love's 27 points came on 6-of-7 shooting. Love was 3-of-4 from 3-point land and hit all 12 of his free throw attempts.

"They are a team with many weapons. I thought in the third quarter we just lost our composure. I thought we started to get frantic out there. When they made a run, offensively, we tried to get it back ourselves and just lost our poise. We weren't calm during that third quarter and I thought that was big." -Pacers head coach Nate McMillan

"In both games, Game 1 and Game 2, they've come down and they're shooting with no one in front of them. Off of a kick ahead, we are doing just a terrible job of getting back and guarding people. We know how good LeBron [James] is going to be. We know how good Kyrie [Irving] is going to be. But the other guys, we need to be able to limit catch and shoot, especially when they're coming off of just advancing the ball up." -Paul George

"I think we get tired at times. It's playoff basketball and they're playing a lot of minutes and they're competing. Also, we don't push the ball every single possession when we get the chance. It's not so much the iso because we have a lot of good players who can do that. I just thought it was our turnovers. We have to take care of the basketball. It got Paul George going early. When we turn the basketball over, we can't get back. It hurts us. We had 19 turnovers for 24 points. It's hard to win playoff games like this." -Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue

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Game Rewind: Pacers 111, Cavaliers 117 (Game 2)

The Indiana Pacers gave the defending NBA champions a scare in Game 1 in Cleveland, but LeBron James and the Cavaliers made more plays down the stretch to come away with a 109-108 win on Saturday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena.

After rallying from a double-digit deficit to take a brief lead in the final minutes, the Pacers hung tough and had the ball in the final seconds with a chance to win the game.

The Pacers put the ball in the hands of All-Star forward Paul George, but the Cavaliers double-teamed him. George passed to C.J. Miles on the right wing, who drove past Richard Jefferson and got a clean look from 18 feet, but the jumper did not fall.

"It was no surprise to see a double-team," George said. "We should have known it was coming."

"By the time it got to me, it was under four (seconds) and (the clock) was going down, so I thought I had to make a play to get us a shot off," Miles added. "I thought I had a good look at it, but I left it a little short."

With the win, the second-seeded Cavaliers maintained homecourt advantage in the best-of-seven first-round series with seventh-seeded Indiana. Game 2 will take place in Cleveland on Monday night at 7:00 PM ET.

The Pacers had not led since the 3:43 mark in the first quarter before a late-game charge saw them score 12 unanswered points, taking a 105-103 lead on Jeff Teague's 3-pointer with 3:30 to play.

James answered on the other end, however, tying the game with a baseline dunk. After George missed a jumper, James then set up Kyrie Irving for a go-ahead jumper, giving the Cavaliers the lead with 2:33 remaining.

Cleveland's much-maligned defense then tightened up down the stretch, holding the Pacers without a point for nearly three minutes until George's 3-pointer made it 109-108 with 40.9 seconds remaining.

James missed a three on the other end, giving the Pacers a chance to win the game in the closing seconds.

George led the Pacers with 29 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, going 6-for-8 from 3-point range. Lance Stephenson added 16 points off the bench, while Teague had 15 points and four assists.

James was his usual brilliant self for Cleveland, finishing with a game-high 32 points, six rebounds, and 13 assists. Irving added 23 points and six assists, while Kevin Love chipped in 17 points for the Cavs.

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Pacers head coach Nate McMillan said before Game 1 that he wanted his team to keep their composure early and not allow the Cavaliers to ignite the home crowd with a fast start. The Blue & Gold accomplished that goal by matching Cleveland nearly shot for shot in a back-and-forth first quarter that featured seven ties and six lead changes.

Love got off to a fast start for the Cavaliers, knocking down two early 3-pointers and scoring 10 points in the first six minutes, while fellow All-Star Irving added eight points in the opening minutes. On the other hand, James seemed content to set up his teammates early and did not take a shot for the first nine minutes of the contest.

On the other end, the Pacers stayed competitive early with a balanced offensive effort, with George knocking down two 3-pointers and Monta Ellis coming up with a couple early buckets.

The Cavaliers eventually surged in front with an 8-2 run late in the first quarter that featured James' first four points of the night and took a 34-29 lead into the quarter break.

James kept the Cavs' going in the second quarter, racking up 10 points and five assists in the frame as Cleveland remained in front. George, meanwhile, kept the visitors within striking distance, tallying 10 points in the period, including two more 3-pointers.

Cleveland led for the entire second quarter, extending the margin to as many as eight points and a taking 66-59 lead into the break. Indiana shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, but the Cavaliers were even better, converting 61 percent of their shots.

George continued his strong play in the opening minutes of the third quarter, quickly tallying nine more points. The Pacers cut the deficit to two with 4:50 left in the frame, but then LeBron took over.

James helped trigger a 10-0 Cleveland run that fired up the crowd and pushed the lead to double digits for the first time all afternoon.

After two free throws by Richard Jefferson, the Cavaliers got a mismatch with Teague switched onto James in the post. James scored easily over Teague, then got a similar mismatch on the next possession with Monta Ellis. This time, he kicked out to Channing Frye for an open three.

After a George miss on the other end, Kevin Seraphin corralled an offensive rebound, but James stole the ball from him, triggering a Cleveland fastbreak that ended with one of James' thunderous slams.

"We have been poised and calm in these games, going back to the last game we played here in Cleveland," McMillan said. "I thought we responded and gave ourselves a chance to win."

The Cavs took a 92-84 lead into the fourth quarter, but Stephenson kept the Pacers within striking distance. Stephenson scored eight points in the first five minutes of the final frame, helping Indiana twice trim the deficit to six.

"I just tried to be aggressive, make smart plays, be in attack mode," Stephenson said.

Stephenson then teamed with starters Teague, George, Thaddeus Young, and Myles Turner to continue the rally.

Teague's 3-pointer from the left wing with 4:52 left made it 103-99 and then Turner's layup 26 seconds later made it a two-point game. That was just part of what would eventually be a 12-0 run to briefly re-take the lead.

"We're always good with that group when we get it and go," George said. "Lance does a great job of pushing it, causing mismatches off that push, and we're just playing. That's where we've been great."

But ultimately, James and his battle-tested teammates made more plays down the stretch, holding off the upstart underdogs from Indiana, just like they did in a double-overtime win over the Pacers in Cleveland less than two weeks ago on April 2.

"We believe we can beat them," Teague said. "Something's just got to happen at the end of the game for us. We had chances back-to-back games (against Cleveland) to win."

The Pacers will practice in Cleveland on Sunday to prepare for Game 2 on Monday, which will air nationally on TNT at 7:00 PM ET.

Ellis added 11 points for Indiana in the loss on 4-of-8 shooting. Turner added 11 points, eight rebounds, and four steals.

The Pacers finished the game shooting 49.4 percent from the field. Indiana outscored Cleveland 46-42 in the paint and shot 11-of-24 from 3-point range and 17-of-20 from the free throw line.

George's six 3-pointers were one shy of the NBA franchise record for threes made in a playoff game. George hit seven 3-pointers on May 11, 2014 in Washington. Reggie Miller also accomplished the feat twice and Chuck Person did it once.

After shooting over 60 percent for much of the afternoon, the Cavaliers finished the game with a field goal percentage of .538.

Cleveland struggled mightily from the free throw line, going just 14-for-27 from the charity stripe.

"We played them down to the end. I think we did a very good job of executing and just playing down to the wire, just making tough shots and playing to the moment." -Young

"That's all you can ask for on the road in a playoff environment — to have the last shot to win the game." -Teague

"We've just got to challenge them. I don't think we did that well enough — as far as being physical and really just playing tough — I don't think we did that on the defensive end." -George

"It's tough. It's hard to (be positive) immediately after the game, but you know at the same time that it's going to be a dogfight. We've got a chance to win games, to be in this series, play hard in this series, and try to win it. The biggest thing is for us to come out with the same grit and a little better communication." -Miles

"I'm happy we got the victory. I'm happy how emotional we were. I'm happy with the energy and effort...You always go into Game 2 even more prepared because you see what type of game plan they have. As the series goes on and on, you start to learn more about the team, learn more about your opponent, and we've got to get better the next game. But it's a great start for us." -James

James' double-double was the 88th of his career in the playoffs. No player on the Pacers has played in more than 63 career postseason games.

The Pacers will return to Quicken Loans Arena to try to even the series on Monday, April 17 at 7:00 PM ET.

After two games in Cleveland, the Pacers will come home to Indiana for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday, April 20 and Sunday, April 23. For ticket information, please visit Pacers.com/Playoffs »

game-rewind-pacers-108-cavaliers-109-game-1

Game Rewind: Pacers 108, Cavaliers 109 (Game 1)

It came down to the final day of the regular season, but the Indiana Pacers are headed back to the playoffs.

Paul George recorded his 11th double-double of the season as the Pacers (42-40) put the finishing touches on a five-game winning streak to close the season, picking up a 104-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks (43-39) on Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Indiana will face the second-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in a best-of-seven first round series.

"It's both a relief and excitement to go into a new season," Pacers head coach Nate McMillan said. "This team was built to get into the playoffs. I think we're playing good basketball and I think we can play better. I think these guys are having fun the last five games."

The two Central Division rivals met four times in the regular season, with the defending NBA champion Cavaliers taking three of the four meetings. Their only ever postseason meeting came in the first round in 1998, when the Pacers advanced in four games in a best-of-five series.

"We approach them as any other game or any other team," George said. "We have to go out and challenge them. We have to play them straight up. It's going to be tough. They've been struggling as of late but they're still one of the best teams in the game and have one of the best players in the world. It's going to be a fun matchup."

PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Complete Coverage at Pacers.com/Playoffs »

Playing on the second night of a back-to-back and locked into the fifth seed in the East, the Hawks elected to rest their top five scorers on Wednesday. Nonetheless, the visitors jumped out to an early 10-5 lead as the Pacers struggled to find an early rhythm offensively.

The Blue & Gold shot just 38.1 percent from the field in the first quarter, but their stout defense still allowed them to surge ahead. Indiana closed the opening quarter with a 17-5 run, limiting Atlanta to just one field goal over the final 7:31 of the period.

The hosts stretched their lead to as many as 11 points in the opening minutes of the second quarter, but the Hawks rallied, eventually trimming the deficit to 36-34 with 5:03 left in the half. But the Pacers answered by reeling off seven unanswered points and took a 50-43 lead into the break.

The Pacers pulled away shortly after halftime. Jeff Teague got the offense off to a fast start, scoring Indiana's first seven points in the third quarter to push the lead back to double digits. The Pacers extended the margin to as many as 18 points in the frame and took an 84-68 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Hawks got back within nine with 6:22 left in the fourth quarter after Ryan Kelly knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers. But George took over down the stretch, scoring 10 of Indiana's next 12 points to help secure the win.

George finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds, going 12-for-21 from the field and 5-for-10 from 3-point range. Teague added 19 points and seven assists, while Myles Turner finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.

Ersan Ilyasova led Atlanta with 15 points in the loss. Jose Calderon added 12 points and five assists.

Game 1 is in Cleveland on Saturday, April 15 at 3:00 PM ET and will air nationally on ABC. The rest of the schedule for the series can be found at Pacers.com/Playoffs.

The Pacers have now made the postseason 22 times since the 1989-90 season, more playoff appearances than any other Eastern Conference team over that time period.

George's double-double was his third in the last five games.

Turner tied his career high with six blocks in Wednesday's win.

Teague finished the regular season with 639 assists, a career high and the sixth-most by a Pacers player in a single season in franchise history.

The Pacers finished the season with a 29-12 record at home, the fourth-best home record in the East, and won 19 home games by double digits.

"I guess it's because we're doing everything right. When our back is against the wall, we figure things out. It just showed the character of this team, that we knew all along that we should have been a playoff team, we just hadn't figured out how to play the game the right way. I think we did that at the right time." -George on the Pacers' five-game winning streak to secure a playoff spot

"I'm excited...I love the playoffs. That little taste that I got of it last year — I want to go even further this year. I want to get back. We've got a challenge ahead of us, but I think we're all up for it." -Turner

"There's a lot of guys in the league in his position, having to elevate his game and do things to give his team a chance to win. Paul has done that...whatever you have to do." -McMillan on George

"Their activity and their energy was pretty high. That's a sign of how important this is. I thought our guys tried to match it. The effort was great, we just weren't quite with it tonight." -Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer

George scored 20 or more points in his last 12 regular season contests, the second-longest streak of his career. He accomplished the feat in 13 straight games from Nov. 4 - Dec. 2, 2015.

The Pacers and Cavaliers will open their best-of-seven series on Saturday, April 15 at 3:00 PM ET in Cleveland.

2016‑17 Game Rewind

Game Rewind: Pacers 102, Cavaliers 106 (Game 4)

Game Rewind: Pacers 114, Cavaliers 119 (Game 3)

Game Rewind: Pacers 111, Cavaliers 117 (Game 2)

Game Rewind: Pacers 108, Cavaliers 109 (Game 1)

Game Rewind: Pacers 104, Hawks 86

Game Rewind: Pacers 120, 76ers 111

Game Rewind: Pacers 127, Magic 112

Game Rewind: Pacers 104, Bucks 89