What an opening game of the NBA playoffs! The Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the Indiana Pacers at Quicken Loans Arena 109-108 to start the NBA postseason. LeBron James led the Cavaliers with the excellent overall performance, finishing the game with 32 points, six rebounds, and 13 assists. Kyrie Irving added 23 points and six assists, while Kevin Love had 17 points for the home team. Channing Frye added 11 points off the bench. The Cavs finished the game with a better field goal percentage (54 %) then a free throw percentage (52%).
Paul George was the best player for the visitors, as he finished the game with 29 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, shooting 6 of 8 from the three-point line.
Jeff Teague had 15 points, while Lance Stephenson added 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Pacers.
The opening
It was a highly contested game from the beginning, as the Pacers were constantly answering on Cleveland's great shooting percentage. It was an offense to attack battle. Cleveland shot 60 percent from the field in the first half, but they had only a seven-point lead at the break. The score at the half was 66-59 for the Cavaliers.
The second half
Paul George opened the second half with some big baskets, as he scored eight quick points to cut the lead to three. Lebron James and Kyrie Irving answered immediately and with 2:11 left in the third quarter, Lebron made a dunk to put the Cavaliers up by twelve.
But they weren't so impressive offensively in the fourth quarter, as they scored just 17 points. The Pacers took their first lead of the night with 3:31 left in the game after Jeff Teague made his three-point attempt. Lebron and Kyrie answered again and quickly gave the Cavs another lead. After James had made one of his two free throws, Paul George hit the three-pointers and cut the lead to one.
It was 109-108. Then Lebron missed the three-pointers, and the Pacers had the chance to win a game, as they had a final possession. Paul George tried to shoot, but he was double-teamed, so he needed to pass the ball to C.J. Miles. Miles took the last shot with two seconds left on the clock, and he missed. Cleveland survived.
Here is what Lebron James said after that final possession: "I was thinking – don't go in and anyone besides George can take it. I feel good about the win; it doesn't matter how you win it. It's the playoffs; every win is an important one.“
The next game is on schedule for Monday, at 7:00 pm.
