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

[oikosnomos]

Indy is deep and the Cavs are insanely overrated for what they are. I smell an upset incoming.

Well, get in on those odds. Puts some money on that confidence and get a nice haul.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Post from Realcavsfans and I couldnt agree more. But this is sport so we will see.
"Fun matchups!
1. We'll target Haliburton like we did Heiro--with the same success.
2. We'll treat Turner like Adabayo--double-teaming him and frustrating him with Jarrett and Mobley--with the same success.
3. We'll use a lot of Mobley, Wade, and Hunter on Siakim--and he'll get frustrated, especially trying to defend Mobley and Hunter. He may get in foul trouble.
4. Garland and Mitchell will be able to score at will.
5. If we keep our turnovers down, it'll be a 4 game sweep"

You can't apply personnel specific schemes to completely different personnel. Turner is a stretch 5. Bam is not. Siakam is a much more skilled player than either Ware or Jovic. Haliburton is one of the best true PGs in the NBA who has the size to pass over most traps. Herro is a SG playing PG because Miami didn't have a healthy starting-caliber PG. Few of Miami's role players have good ball handling skills. Almost all of the Pacers' role players dribble well enough to handle pressure.

This will be a completely different series.

I don’t know man, his breakdown of “every Pacers player will suck and all of the Cavs players will have it easy” seemed convincing to me.

[cgf]

Well, i just know you're mentioning the Pacers are built like a hockey team bc you said previously their depth wore your team out in the 2024 playoffs.

I am just telling you, I'm not worried about that, because the Cavs don't play a 7 man rotation.

I doubt your Knicks can beat the Celtics after struggling against the Pistons in round 1.

It's not just us, they play like that against everyone. It's why I predicted a gentleman's sweep over Milwaukee before the series even started. They put constant pressure on you on both ends of the court because they can leverage that depth to keep everyone fresh. You don't need to run an 8 man rotation for that pressure to disrupt you.

After how much the Celtics struggled against a play-in team in round 1, I ain't scared

No crap the Pacers play 11 deep vs everyone. The point i was making is 10 is greater than 7.

10 guys won't get worn down as easily as 7 guys will. So i understand your spectator expierence is how the hockey shift style player rotation wore your team out. But it is wholly irrelevant since the Cavs are just as deep as the Pacers, unlike the Knicks.

I don't think this is aerospace engineering but maybe I'm wrong...

Do you think the knicks games are the only times I've watched Indiana's style give a top team trouble? That style got them wins over Boston x2, pre-injury Orlando, Cleveland x3, Detroit, the Clippers x2, Houston, Minnesota x2, Denver, and Memphis x2 despite those teams having better depth than us.

[JujitsuFlip]

It's not just us, they play like that against everyone. It's why I predicted a gentleman's sweep over Milwaukee before the series even started. They put constant pressure on you on both ends of the court because they can leverage that depth to keep everyone fresh. You don't need to run an 8 man rotation for that pressure to disrupt you.

After how much the Celtics struggled against a play-in team in round 1, I ain't scared

No crap the Pacers play 11 deep vs everyone. The point i was making is 10 is greater than 7.

10 guys won't get worn down as easily as 7 guys will. So i understand your spectator expierence is how the hockey shift style player rotation wore your team out. But it is wholly irrelevant since the Cavs are just as deep as the Pacers, unlike the Knicks.

I don't think this is aerospace engineering but maybe I'm wrong...

Do you think the knicks games are the only times I've watched Indiana's style give a top team trouble? That style got them wins over Boston x2, pre-injury Orlando, Cleveland x3, Detroit, the Clippers x2, Houston, Minnesota x2, Denver, and Memphis x2 despite those teams having better depth than us.

You even listing CLE times 3 is all i need to know, cgf.

I was going to tell you to go look it up but I'll just spell it out.

Game 1 - Jerome out, prior to the Hunter trade, Strus not a starter yet.

Game 2 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, and Strus out. (Because the #1 seed was locked)

Game 3 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, Strus, Hunter, Jerome, Wade, Merrill, and Okoro out. (Because the #1 seed was locked).

So yes, i truly question how much Pacers basketball you have watched outside of the 2024 playoffs, which strongly informed your opinion.

[cgf]

No crap the Pacers play 11 deep vs everyone. The point i was making is 10 is greater than 7.

10 guys won't get worn down as easily as 7 guys will. So i understand your spectator expierence is how the hockey shift style player rotation wore your team out. But it is wholly irrelevant since the Cavs are just as deep as the Pacers, unlike the Knicks.

I don't think this is aerospace engineering but maybe I'm wrong...

Do you think the knicks games are the only times I've watched Indiana's style give a top team trouble? That style got them wins over Boston x2, pre-injury Orlando, Cleveland x3, Detroit, the Clippers x2, Houston, Minnesota x2, Denver, and Memphis x2 despite those teams having better depth than us.

You even listing CLE times 3 is all i need to know, cgf.

I was going to tell you to go look it up but I'll just spell it out.

Game 1 - Jerome out, prior to the Hunter trade, Strus not a starter yet.

Game 2 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, and Strus out. (Because the #1 seed was locked)

Game 3 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, Strus, Hunter, Jerome, Wade, Merrill, and Okoro out. (Because the #1 seed was locked).

So yes, i truly question how much Pacers basketball you have watched outside of the 2024 playoffs, which strongly informed your opinion.

So did you just not know that Indiana was missing a starter for that first win too? Oh wait, Jerome and Hunter aren't starters, so even if we make excuses for both teams in that game, yours is weaker.

Wanna try making excuses for their wins over Boston...Porzingis & Turner both missed the one, while KP, Jrue, Nesmith & Obi missed the other...or Minnesota...they beat a healthy wolves team without Haliburton, Siakam, Turner, or Nesmith and then again when both were healthy...that will fall equally quickly under further inspection?

You tried to dunk on the Knicks because you know your team is soft and in for a battle that could go either way, but it backfired.

[xBulletproof]

Looking at the regular season games for any clue how this is going to go is an exercise in futility.

I am interested to see what the Cavs do. Will they do a bunch of zone? Will they switch everything, which I think they were doing against the Heat. But that leaves you open to Pascal mismatches. While the zone will keep him from getting the ball as easily where he wants to, but may open you up to the 3.

Will they try the scram switching? The Bucks tried it and the Pacers just punished it every time they tried. Now the Cavs are better and coached better. So maybe they can avoid the pitfalls with scram switching that the Bucks fell victim to. I don't know, we will see. Should be fun.

I do believe Garland and Mitchell both are not at their best when being pressured. So given what the Pacers already do I'm expecting full court pressure on those guys a lot. Especially given that the Pacers like to do that anyway.

But anyone trying to get something out of the regular season games they played this year is just crazy. Two of them were like the last two games of the season. One of them Halliburton left in the middle of the game and then somehow the Pacers destroyed the Cavs the whole time. And then the other one I think the Cavs were missing players and Halliburton didn't play. It's something like that. It's just no help at all.

[cgf]

Looking at the regular season games for any clue how this is going to go is an exercise in futility.

I am interested to see what the Cavs do. Will they do a bunch of zone? Will they switch everything, which I think they were doing against the Heat. But that leaves you open to Pascal mismatches. While the zone will keep him from getting the ball as easily where he wants to, but may open you up to the 3.

Will they try the scram switching? The Bucks tried it and the Pacers just punished it every time they tried. Now the Cavs are better and coached better. So maybe they can avoid the pitfalls with scram switching that the Bucks fell victim to. I don't know, we will see. Should be fun.

I do believe Garland and Mitchell both are not at their best when being pressured. So given what the Pacers already do I'm expecting full court pressure on those guys a lot. Especially given that the Pacers like to do that anyway.

But anyone trying to get something out of the regular season games they played this year is just crazy. Two of them were like the last two games of the season. One of them Halliburton left in the middle of the game and then somehow the Pacers destroyed the Cavs the whole time. And then the other one I think the Cavs were missing players and Halliburton didn't play. It's something like that. It's just no help at all.

Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to say that this series will be anything like the regular season games between you two. Just mentioned the regular season to illustrate the point that the Knicks last spring isn't the only time your style of play has been too much for a good team. I only included the x3 to tease our Cavs fan friend.

[Celts17Pride]

.

[xBulletproof]

Looking at the regular season games for any clue how this is going to go is an exercise in futility.

I am interested to see what the Cavs do. Will they do a bunch of zone? Will they switch everything, which I think they were doing against the Heat. But that leaves you open to Pascal mismatches. While the zone will keep him from getting the ball as easily where he wants to, but may open you up to the 3.

Will they try the scram switching? The Bucks tried it and the Pacers just punished it every time they tried. Now the Cavs are better and coached better. So maybe they can avoid the pitfalls with scram switching that the Bucks fell victim to. I don't know, we will see. Should be fun.

I do believe Garland and Mitchell both are not at their best when being pressured. So given what the Pacers already do I'm expecting full court pressure on those guys a lot. Especially given that the Pacers like to do that anyway.

But anyone trying to get something out of the regular season games they played this year is just crazy. Two of them were like the last two games of the season. One of them Halliburton left in the middle of the game and then somehow the Pacers destroyed the Cavs the whole time. And then the other one I think the Cavs were missing players and Halliburton didn't play. It's something like that. It's just no help at all.

Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to say that this series will be anything like the regular season games between you two. Just mentioned the regular season to illustrate the point that the Knicks last spring isn't the only time your style of play has been too much for a good team. I only included the x3 to tease our Cavs fan friend.

I am at work, so I didn't see the full context. Just saw it brought up multiple times as I skimmed, so that's on me. I got it now, that makes sense. However, I would counter that the Cavs are different in that they won't be afraid to run with the Pacers, unlike other teams. It may not be their best chance at winning, but they *can* still win that way against the Pacers where a lot of teams can't.

[JujitsuFlip]

Do you think the knicks games are the only times I've watched Indiana's style give a top team trouble? That style got them wins over Boston x2, pre-injury Orlando, Cleveland x3, Detroit, the Clippers x2, Houston, Minnesota x2, Denver, and Memphis x2 despite those teams having better depth than us.

You even listing CLE times 3 is all i need to know, cgf.

I was going to tell you to go look it up but I'll just spell it out.

Game 1 - Jerome out, prior to the Hunter trade, Strus not a starter yet.

Game 2 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, and Strus out. (Because the #1 seed was locked)

Game 3 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, Strus, Hunter, Jerome, Wade, Merrill, and Okoro out. (Because the #1 seed was locked).

So yes, i truly question how much Pacers basketball you have watched outside of the 2024 playoffs, which strongly informed your opinion.

So did you just not know that Indiana was missing a starter for that first win too? Oh wait, Jerome and Hunter aren't starters, so even if we make excuses for both teams in that game, yours is weaker.

Wanna try making excuses for their wins over Boston...Porzingis & Turner both missed the one, while KP, Jrue, Nesmith & Obi missed the other...or Minnesota...they beat a healthy wolves team without Haliburton, Siakam, Turner, or Nesmith and then again when both were healthy...that will fall equally quickly under further inspection?

You tried to dunk on the Knicks because you know your team is soft and in for a battle that could go either way, but it backfired.

Moving the goal posts per usual lmaooooo

You don't watch the Pacers, is the point lol

You're the one who brought up the Pacers beating the Cavs 3 times 'because of depth' lolololol what an L without even knowing the Cavs had the one seed locked hahahaha

I didn't try to dunk on the Knicks. Thibs plays a 7 man rotation, it is a fact. If you don't like that, take it up with Thibs. Another fact is Kenny plays a 10 man rotation.

So again 7 does not equal 10, last i checked.............

[cgf]

Looking at the regular season games for any clue how this is going to go is an exercise in futility.

I am interested to see what the Cavs do. Will they do a bunch of zone? Will they switch everything, which I think they were doing against the Heat. But that leaves you open to Pascal mismatches. While the zone will keep him from getting the ball as easily where he wants to, but may open you up to the 3.

Will they try the scram switching? The Bucks tried it and the Pacers just punished it every time they tried. Now the Cavs are better and coached better. So maybe they can avoid the pitfalls with scram switching that the Bucks fell victim to. I don't know, we will see. Should be fun.

I do believe Garland and Mitchell both are not at their best when being pressured. So given what the Pacers already do I'm expecting full court pressure on those guys a lot. Especially given that the Pacers like to do that anyway.

But anyone trying to get something out of the regular season games they played this year is just crazy. Two of them were like the last two games of the season. One of them Halliburton left in the middle of the game and then somehow the Pacers destroyed the Cavs the whole time. And then the other one I think the Cavs were missing players and Halliburton didn't play. It's something like that. It's just no help at all.

Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to say that this series will be anything like the regular season games between you two. Just mentioned the regular season to illustrate the point that the Knicks last spring isn't the only time your style of play has been too much for a good team. I only included the x3 to tease our Cavs fan friend.

I am at work, so I didn't see the full context. Just saw it brought up multiple times as I skimmed, so that's on me. I got it now, that makes sense. However, I would counter that the Cavs are different in that they won't be afraid to run with the Pacers, unlike other teams. It may not be their best chance at winning, but they *can* still win that way against the Pacers where a lot of teams can't.

Yeah, both series are really interesting to me because of the east's top 4, the two teams who have the most parallels ended up facing each other. You both being teams lead by a guard entering his prime, excellent strong frontcourts, and just phenomenal depth. Us and Boston both being teams who rely heavily on our top 6-7 guys, with exceptional wing duos to go, and liking to go big with our bench units.

[cgf]

You even listing CLE times 3 is all i need to know, cgf.

I was going to tell you to go look it up but I'll just spell it out.

Game 1 - Jerome out, prior to the Hunter trade, Strus not a starter yet.

Game 2 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, and Strus out. (Because the #1 seed was locked)

Game 3 - Garland, Mobley, Mitchell, Strus, Hunter, Jerome, Wade, Merrill, and Okoro out. (Because the #1 seed was locked).

So yes, i truly question how much Pacers basketball you have watched outside of the 2024 playoffs, which strongly informed your opinion.

So did you just not know that Indiana was missing a starter for that first win too? Oh wait, Jerome and Hunter aren't starters, so even if we make excuses for both teams in that game, yours is weaker.

Wanna try making excuses for their wins over Boston...Porzingis & Turner both missed the one, while KP, Jrue, Nesmith & Obi missed the other...or Minnesota...they beat a healthy wolves team without Haliburton, Siakam, Turner, or Nesmith and then again when both were healthy...that will fall equally quickly under further inspection?

You tried to dunk on the Knicks because you know your team is soft and in for a battle that could go either way, but it backfired.

Moving the goal posts per usual lmaooooo

You don't watch the Pacers, is the point lol

You're the one who brought up the Pacers beating the Cavs 3 times 'because of depth' lolololol what an L without even knowing the Cavs had the one seed locked hahahaha

I didn't try to dunk on the Knicks. Thibs plays a 7 man rotation, it is a fact. If you don't like that, take it up with Thibs. Another fact is Kenny plays a 10 man rotation.

So again 7 does not equal 10, last i checked.............

I love you buddy, I would never steal your move.

And no, you don't watch the Pacers, that's the point. I've seen a good 15 pacers games this season outside of their games with NY. And I had seen a good dozen the year before, which is why I picked them to beat Milwaukee and warned my fellow Knicks fans that they would be dangerous even before that series started.

But please move the goalposts and then try to accuse me of being the one doing everything to avoid talking about the battle that your team is in for, because I am the one who keeps trying to bring the Knicks into this conversation when they have nothing to do with how these two teams stack up.

I edited in the X3 because I knew it would trigger you but you sure as **** didn't have the 1st seed locked up the first time they beat you without one of their starters even playing.

[oikosnomos]

Arguing about a two year old series in an upcoming series thread is peak Realgm.

[JujitsuFlip]

So did you just not know that Indiana was missing a starter for that first win too? Oh wait, Jerome and Hunter aren't starters, so even if we make excuses for both teams in that game, yours is weaker.

Wanna try making excuses for their wins over Boston...Porzingis & Turner both missed the one, while KP, Jrue, Nesmith & Obi missed the other...or Minnesota...they beat a healthy wolves team without Haliburton, Siakam, Turner, or Nesmith and then again when both were healthy...that will fall equally quickly under further inspection?

You tried to dunk on the Knicks because you know your team is soft and in for a battle that could go either way, but it backfired.

Moving the goal posts per usual lmaooooo

You don't watch the Pacers, is the point lol

You're the one who brought up the Pacers beating the Cavs 3 times 'because of depth' lolololol what an L without even knowing the Cavs had the one seed locked hahahaha

I didn't try to dunk on the Knicks. Thibs plays a 7 man rotation, it is a fact. If you don't like that, take it up with Thibs. Another fact is Kenny plays a 10 man rotation.

So again 7 does not equal 10, last i checked.............

I love you buddy, I would never steal your move.

And no, you don't watch the Pacers, that's the point. I've seen a good 15 pacers games this season outside of their games with NY. And I had seen a good dozen the year before, which is why I picked them to beat Milwaukee and warned my fellow Knicks fans that they would be dangerous even before that series started.

But please move the goalposts and then try to accuse me of being the one doing everything to avoid talking about the battle that your team is in for, because I am the one who keeps trying to bring the Knicks into this conversation when they have nothing to do with how these two teams stack up.

I edited in the X3 because I knew it would trigger you but you sure as **** didn't have the 1st seed locked up the first time they beat you without one of their starters even playing.

I wonder if a trade happened after January 12th? That would be interesting to know.

I also would be curious to know if the starting line-up and rotation changed at all after January 12th?

One might even ask, was their a finalist for a certain award for doing a certain thing that potetinally didn't do that thing on January 12th?

[cgf]

Moving the goal posts per usual lmaooooo

You don't watch the Pacers, is the point lol

You're the one who brought up the Pacers beating the Cavs 3 times 'because of depth' lolololol what an L without even knowing the Cavs had the one seed locked hahahaha

I didn't try to dunk on the Knicks. Thibs plays a 7 man rotation, it is a fact. If you don't like that, take it up with Thibs. Another fact is Kenny plays a 10 man rotation.

So again 7 does not equal 10, last i checked.............

I love you buddy, I would never steal your move.

And no, you don't watch the Pacers, that's the point. I've seen a good 15 pacers games this season outside of their games with NY. And I had seen a good dozen the year before, which is why I picked them to beat Milwaukee and warned my fellow Knicks fans that they would be dangerous even before that series started.

But please move the goalposts and then try to accuse me of being the one doing everything to avoid talking about the battle that your team is in for, because I am the one who keeps trying to bring the Knicks into this conversation when they have nothing to do with how these two teams stack up.

I edited in the X3 because I knew it would trigger you but you sure as **** didn't have the 1st seed locked up the first time they beat you without one of their starters even playing.

I wonder if a trade happened after January 12th? That would be interesting to know.

I also would be curious to know if the starting line-up and rotation changed at all after January 12th?

One might even ask, was their a finalist for a certain award for doing a certain thing that potetinally didn't do that thing on January 12th?

Which team had a starter out to injury for that game? Simple question, though that won't stop you from equivocating on it.

[Helsbyte]

Pacers in 6 or Cavs in 7. These are 2 evenly matched squads. What happened in Oct/Nov does not matter right now in the moment. Should be fun.

[jasonxxx102]

The Cavs are going to absolutely smoke the Pacers and people on here will still be doubting the Cavs lol

[GiannisAnte34]

The Cavs are going to absolutely smoke the Pacers and people on here will still be doubting the Cavs lol

Would a 4-2 series win qualify as “smoking” the Pacers? I could see that happening. I’m doubtful it’s a 4-0 or 4-1 cruise job, the Cavs don’t have that superstar that can take over a series like Jokic, Giannis, Kawhi, Curry, etc

Their guards are good but also exploitable on the other end

[jasonxxx102]

The Cavs are going to absolutely smoke the Pacers and people on here will still be doubting the Cavs lol

Would a 4-2 series win qualify as “smoking” the Pacers? I could see that happening. I’m doubtful it’s a 4-0 or 4-1 cruise job, the Cavs don’t have that superstar that can take over a series like Jokic, Giannis, Kawhi, Curry, etc

Their guards are good but also exploitable on the other end

No, im saying gentleman’s sweep.

Donovan Mitchell can and has taken over many 4th quarters but it’s not like the Pacers have that guy either, I’d take both Garland and Mitchell as closers over Haliburton.

I mentioned earlier. Cavs have the best player, the better starting 5, the better 6th man, better overall offense, and better defense.

Pacers are a good team but this is a lopsided matchup just like Celtics Knicks.

[The Real Dalic]

My guess is either another sweep or Cavs in 5. This Pacers team is definitely better than last season and should hopefully have Mathurin for the series, but I still think the gap is far too big between both teams.

The Cavs are the better offensive team with a true offensive superstar and the far, far better defense.

Not sure how the Pacers are going to stop Mitchell and Garland. Much better defenses have tried and failed.