The Cavaliers won 109-108. Just a few minutes earlier, IN had run off 11 unanswered points to turn a 103-94 Cleveland lead into a Pacers two-point advantage with 3:31 left.
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The defending National Basketball Association champion Cleveland Cavaliers began defense of their title on Saturday with a 109-108 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Kawhi Leonard equaled his career playoff high with 32 points as the San Antonio Spurs seized control in the third quarter en route to a 111-82 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in game one of their first-round Western Conference series.
IN will get a chance to even the series in Game 2 on Monday night in Cleveland.
We’ll have up-to-the-minute scoring and stats here throughout the game.
During the 2016-17 regular season, the Pacers swingman scored 143 points over 150 clutch minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge drilled 20 and grabbed six boards while Tony Parker had a resurgent effort with 18 points. “Just clean those things up and it’d have been a different game”.
“He missed”, James said.
Cleveland got 23 points, six assists and two huge steals from Kyrie Irving and 17 points from Kevin Love, but “The Big Three” combined to score just eight points on 3-for-14 shooting in the fourth period, with James missing two shots at the rim and Irving missing another.
There was no help for George after he got the inbounds with 10 seconds left. George put his hands out, waiting for the ball as he ran from the double-team defense of James and J.R. Smith. George gave the ball up to get it back.
The Cavaliers escaped with a 109-108 victory when C.J. Miles missed a jumper at the buzzer. That’s not the issue. “In that situation, I need the ball”.
Miles didn’t make any excuses. I’m confident to take the shot regardless of what that stat is.
“We were just trying to keep them in front of us and I think that worked”, McMillan said. The Cavaliers, seeded second in the East, are confident they will play better in the rematch before the series shifts to in on April 20.
Paul George and Lance Stephenson led the way for the Pacers.
A total of 13 misses at the free throw line almost cost the Cavaliers the game, connecting on just 14-of-27 from the field.
Dating back to the 2015 postseason, the Cavs hold a 25-4 playoff record against Eastern Conference opponents, which includes a 14-1 mark at home.
That said, these playoffs will be more enticing to the masses, the television ratings far more certain to soar if James and the Cavs hang around until the finals for a third straight spring.
“Hell, no”, he snapped. But today’s game was a microcosm of Turner’s sophomore season: great potential on both ends of the court, but still a ways to go before it gets consistent.
“I addressed it after the game”, Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said. “I do feel like we let one slip away”. “You live with the results”.
George added that he trusts Miles, but he’d rather be the one to take the last shot. “You always go into Game 2 even more prepared because you see what kind of game plan they have”. When you’re doubling me, I’m giving it up. Johnson came up big off the bench and George Hill added 16 points. Indy made a lot of curious defensive choices on Saturday, particularly when it came to defending the pick-and-roll.
Game 2 will be Monday night, presenting its own unique challenges, which may or may not include Aaron Brooks starting. The Indiana Pacers have lost nine of their last 11 road games.
Stephenson scored 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting with seven rebounds and three assists in 27 minutes. Secondly, George should have anticipated the double-team more quickly and looked for a pass out with more time on the clock. “We’ll be more prepared for Game 2”.
Game 2 is at Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
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