2025 Playoffs ECSF: Cavs (1) / Pacers (4) (1-4)

[JujitsuFlip]

Darius Garland is not on the floor at his normal warmup time. Not a good sign for his availability tonight.

https://bsky.app/profile/dannycunningham.bsky.social/post/3loepwoz3cs27

He has been ruled out : (

[ijspeelman]

#Cavs Darius Garland is officially out for Game 1 against the Pacers.

https://bsky.app/profile/dannycunningham.bsky.social/post/3loesjq2ev227

[ijspeelman]

Cleveland Cavaliers - Starting - Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Sam Merrill, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

https://bsky.app/profile/bbmalerts.bsky.social/post/3loesrtj2n32t

[ijspeelman]

Kinda shocked Garland isn't ready, but I'm okay with them being cautious with him if he needs the time

[JujitsuFlip]

Kinda shocked Garland isn't ready, but I'm okay with them being cautious with him if he needs the time

Ernie just said on TNT he'd be ruled out for 2 weeks if it were the regular season but since it is the playoffs, keeping him day to day.

[ijspeelman]

Kinda shocked Garland isn't ready, but I'm okay with them being cautious with him if he needs the time

Ernie just said on TNT he'd be ruled out for 2 weeks if it were the regular season but since it is the playoffs, keeping him day to day.

If they follow the actual two week timeframe then he'd be ready on exactly game 2. We will see

[ijspeelman]

Interestingly, they are getting Mitchell going mostly off-ball and letting Merrill or Mobley start the offense. Its worked so far

[ijspeelman]

Indy playing physical D and I think we are falling into their trap. We've forced a bunch of shots trying to draw fouls and aren't getting rewarded

On the other end, Pacers transition offense is netting them easy looks (and honestly they are hitting every three they shoot, but we gotta be better)

3 Q's to go

[ijspeelman]

Mitchell was being a little hero ball-y to end the 1Q which worries me a bit.

We are spending a lot of the shot clock just trying to get into a set and I think Mitchell wants to be instant offense

[ijspeelman]

We are getting good looks, but not going down to start the 2Q

[ijspeelman]

3/15 from three and more than half have been really good looks. It may be one of those games, but I think this should pick up

[ijspeelman]

All of our offense has been in the paint. We have more ORBs and less TOs so more FGAs, but we just can't put a three in the basket

[JujitsuFlip]

Cavs look like a team that hasn't played in a week lol still only down 6 at half.

[ijspeelman]

This is probably a game where Jerome actually needs to finish in the 4th with Mitchell

[JujitsuFlip]

This is probably a game where Jerome actually needs to finish in the 4th with Mitchell

Yup, agreed.

[ijspeelman]

We've really just halted shooting the three. We were leading the Pacers in 3PA by a lot early on and its back to being about even

Still cannot make'm when we take'm

[ijspeelman]

Need Garland. Also, doesn't help we shot 9-38 from three. I'll dig into these numbers tomorrow to confirm my suspicions

[JujitsuFlip]

Gotta clean up the shot selection on offense and gotta clean up the over rotating on defense before Tuesday.

[JujitsuFlip]

The other thing is, we gotta lock in. I think Mitch debuting shoes and Mobley getting his DPOY trophy. Like cool but let's put all that stuff to the side, it's just noise right now.

[jbk1234]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/cavs-de-andre-hunter-injured-as-refs-miss-blatant-foul-on-pacers-body-contact/ar-AA1E9MFn

I'm not sure why they're calling this body contact. On the one angle, you can clearly see the defender push Hunter with his left hand before the block.