2025 NBA PLAYOFFS East Semifinals: #1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #4 Indiana Pacers (IND leads 1-0)

[JujitsuFlip]

Need to sit down and watch a bunch of tape on Indy. I’ve got no feel for how they play. I watched the games in January, but don’t remember much about them. The Bucks tape isn’t compelling because the Cavs aren’t built anything like the Bucks. I like the Pacers make up and construction though.

Yeah, report back. I am clueless what they like to do on either end. I do know Carlisle will mix in some zone but that's just his coaching style.

[Johnny Tomala]

Cavaliers in 6.

[DirtybirdGA]

Apologies if y'all had this already.

Read on Twitter

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[oikosnomos]

Apologies if y'all had this already.

Read on Twitter

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lol, that’s not real, is it?

Edit: No it’s not (of course it isn’t)

[Pacers Forever]

Pacers in 7. This will be a tough hard fought series as they won’t back down and will take every thing that the Cavs throw their way. The rarely seen Pacers are used to being the underdogs in the media’s and NBA fandoms eyes and play with a chip on their shoulder. Their dogged determination and scrappy style is sometimes ugly but effective in being a tough opponent. I would never say a finesse style of play about this team. 2 star players in Hali and Siakam surrounded by many very good players. They’re 11 men deep and beyond the starting 5 the remaining players are used most nights with minutes given situationally. Carlisle doesn’t have set rotations per se. What we do know is that the coaches game plan and it’s not surprising when one bench player doesn’t get as many minutes.

I know the Cavs are super talented and are just as deep as the Pacers. Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley surrounded by many very good players. Their acquisition of Hunter was a solid depth move. Jerome seemed to come out of nowhere filling in for an injured guard the only time I saw him play. Season after season I remember the Cavs bench always having players who came in and were aggressively draining shots, hustling, and out rebounding us giving us all we could handle.

I’m personally glad that the Pacers get the Cavs rather than the Celtics. I think we match up much better with the Cavs and that’s why I say Pacers in 7.

It will be interesting to see if the Cavs defense is so strong that it is a deciding factor, or will the Cavs offense run the Pacers out of the building. Will the Cavs dominate as the masses believe.

The Pacers play fast and can go on runs just as well as give up runs. They look for winnable matchups to exploit. They share the ball almost to a fault. Their defense is scrappy and offense is adequate. Rebounding is the weakest link along with sometimes running the shot clock down to a forced attempt.

I’m expecting a great series and if for some reason the Cavs steam roll us then I underestimated their potential. Besides it’s going to be a tall task for whomever gets OKC.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Pacers in 7. This will be a tough hard fought series as they won’t back down and will take every thing that the Cavs throw their way. The rarely seen Pacers are used to being the underdogs in the media’s and NBA fandoms eyes and play with a chip on their shoulder. Their dogged determination and scrappy style is sometimes ugly but effective in being a tough opponent. I would never say a finesse style of play about this team. 2 star players in Hali and Siakam surrounded by many very good players. They’re 11 men deep and beyond the starting 5 the remaining players are used most nights with minutes given situationally. Carlisle doesn’t have set rotations per se. What we do know is that the coaches game plan and it’s not surprising when one bench player doesn’t get as many minutes.

I know the Cavs are super talented and are just as deep as the Pacers. Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley surrounded by many very good players. Their acquisition of Hunter was a solid depth move. Jerome seemed to come out of nowhere filling in for an injured guard the only time I saw him play. Season after season I remember the Cavs bench always having players who came in and were aggressively draining shots, hustling, and out rebounding us giving us all we could handle.

I’m personally glad that the Pacers get the Cavs rather than the Celtics. I think we match up much better with the Cavs and that’s why I say Pacers in 7.

It will be interesting to see if the Cavs defense is so strong that it is a deciding factor, or will the Cavs offense run the Pacers out of the building. Will the Cavs dominate as the masses believe.

The Pacers play fast and can go on runs just as well as give up runs. They look for winnable matchups to exploit. They share the ball almost to a fault. Their defense is scrappy and offense is adequate. Rebounding is the weakest link along with sometimes running the shot clock down to a forced attempt.

I’m expecting a great series and if for some reason the Cavs steam roll us then I underestimated their potential. Besides it’s going to be a tall task for whomever gets OKC.

I’m on my phone and can’t see your join date or post history, but guessing you’re fairly new to the board or maybe just don’t post in the GB often?

Either way, welcome! Nice to see another Pacers fan on here!

Love the energy already. I don’t personally see the Pacers winning this series, but would love to be proven wrong.

[yoadknux]

you make it sound like the Pacers blew out the Bucks 4 times. Games 2 and 5 were close despite Lillard contributing either absolutely nothing or close to nothing, then there was game 3 where the Bucks blew the Pacers out with Lillard acting only as a decoy. not to mention all the horribly suboptimal starting lineups Doc ran against a guard heavy offense that spotted Indy 10-15 points every 1st quarter. I really don't think the Pacers are all that good everything considered. They have depth but that doesn't do you any favor when your matched up with a team like Cleveland that is also pretty deep in their own right. Cleveland also doesn't play dumb defense, the Bucks were constantly overhelping leading to a wide open 3. I don't see the Cavs doing that consistently like the Bucks

Meh. The series is over, I know what you think. The Pacers won 4-1. The first two games weren't really close. The Bucks had a run each game that made you think .... "Ooh maybe!" but it wasn't sustainable or real.

At no point did I ever think the Bucks had a chance. From the last day of the regular season to yesterday. I was correct.

Keep in mind, you were the dude talking about the "Pacers are gonna FOLD" after the Bucks won games 3 and 4, you said. Screaming they were gonna sweep after game 2 Did they fold yesterday? Of course not, and easily could have packed it in and went to game 6. I get it, you think the Dame injury changed something. The Bucks were 32-26 with a healthy Giannis and Dame. It wasn't changing anything.

You've been continually wrong, but swearing you're still right and now you're bringing your wrong into a thread that isn't even about that anymore.

You will get no more responses here about something that has nothing to do with the current series.

Yea your 2nd best player being out in the series definitely has no change, that's a serious opinion

I think with a healthy Dame the series is pushed to 6-7 games easily. Maybe the Bucks even win it. But Dame is 35. He averaged 58 games/season over the last 6 seasons, so the injury risk was expected. Build the fanciest building on weak foundations and this is what you get.
Anyway, this belongs in Bucks post-playoffs discussion, not Pacers-Cavs.

[Eightnineborn]

Cavs in 5.

[KamikazeK]

Pacers in 7.

[JTMVP]

I'll take the Cavs here, but I wouldn't be surprised AT ALL if the Pacers win. People are severely underrating the Pacers. They are really good.

I think that the Cavs will actually be hurt a bit by the Heat walkover. Things are about to pick up drastically in intensity.

[gflem]

Two mid to small market teams that are usually overlooked and underestimated by the major media outlets, both are capable offensive teams and both have deep rotations. I think Cavs in 6 though due to Allen and Mobley up front. Indy will get beat on the boards consistently, and the Cavs defense when locked in is a level above the Pacers. Should be a fun series, and if the Pacers get it going from deep they can maybe take the series, but I just think the talent level overall favors the Cavs.

[jasonxxx102]

Sure the Heat weren't good but the Cavs completely dismantled them and didn't have Garland for 2 of the games.

I mean, people still underrate this team like crazy. Pacers are fine but they are clearly not the caliber of the Cavs.

Cavs have the best players and the deepest team.

I think this is an easy 5 game series but wouldn't be surprised if the Pacers won 2 games

[Vee-Rex]

Sure the Heat weren't good but the Cavs completely dismantled them and didn't have Garland for 2 of the games.

I mean, people still underrate this team like crazy. Pacers are fine but they are clearly not the caliber of the Cavs.

Cavs have the best players and the deepest team.

I think this is an easy 5 game series but wouldn't be surprised if the Pacers won 2 games

I don't think it'll be "easy" but I think the key difference is that the Cavs can diversify their scoring so effectively. We can shoot outside, penetrate inside, lots of high percentage floaters, our bigs can rebound and pass the ball well between each other.

Thing is, I think the Pacers can match or come close to matching the Cavs in 3-point shooting. The problem is the Pacers this year are a bottom 10 team in defending 2-point shooting. The Cavs are GREAT at defending 2-point shooting (#2 overall). Add on the fact that the Pacers finished 5th in the league in fast break points - I just don't know if they'll have the consistency to score in the halfcourt if their 3-point shot isn't falling.

So this series to me feels more 'ride or die by the 3' for the Pacers than it does the Cavs.

I think the only way this goes 7 is if the Pacers are scorching hot from 3. If not, then I don't think it goes more than a competitive 4 or 5 games.

[TravisScott55]

Pick em series

[Zman80000]

if one of the Cavs stars gets injured in the series you have to start questioning if its all coincidence

Bucks rd 1 last year, Knicks rd 2 last year, Bucks rd 1 again this year, Cavs rd 2?

And if one of the Pacers stars gets injured?
Injuries can happen to either team.

Here's to hoping no one get hurt.

[Wizop]

I don't think it'll be "easy" but I think the key difference is that the Cavs can diversify their scoring so effectively.

Pacers have 7 players averaging double figure scoring and an 8th averaging 9. that's also diversity.

[Vee-Rex]

I don't think it'll be "easy" but I think the key difference is that the Cavs can diversify their scoring so effectively.

Pacers have 7 players averaging double figure scoring and an 8th averaging 9. that's also diversity.

Right. I'm talking about the manner of the bucket, not the quantity of players that can get the bucket.

And the Cavs are very close to those numbers as well in terms of quantity.

[G R E Y]

I chose Cavs in 6. Carlisle will get creative, will have to, but Cavs front court ultimately has no match.

p.s. t-shirts are brilliant trolling lol

[Pantsman]

Cavs might sweep again

[Pantsman]

I chose Cavs in 6. Carlisle will get creative, will have to, but Cavs front court ultimately has no match.

p.s. t-shirts are brilliant trolling lol

Carlisle is one of the last coaches in the league that I would expect to be creative.