The Indiana Pacers stunningly put a hurting on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their first-round series. It's a 4-versus-5 matchup, but the Cavs are favored to make another Finals run, so people expected they would easily dispatch the Pacers. That may still be the case, but Indiana looked strong in Game 1.
The Pacers won 98-80 and it was never in doubt. Indiana jumped to a 33-14 lead after one quarter. Victor Oladipo lived up to the hype and led all scorers with 32 points.
On Monday, Cavs coach Ty Lue said Cleveland didn't really get an opportunity to use its "best lineup" against Indiana.
Everyone seemed to wonder the same thing: who are the five that Lue couldn't get to? And why exactly didn't they play together Sunday? On Tuesday, he clarified his comments.
Everyone seemed to wonder the same thing: who are the five that Lue couldn't get to? And why exactly didn't they play together Sunday? On Tuesday, he clarified his comments.
That lineup was Kyle Korver, George Hill, Jeff Green, Kevin Love, and LeBron James.
As Robby Kalland notes, those five only played together for 30 minutes in the regular season. They racked up an impressive offensive rating (120.2), but their defensive rating (114.8) leaves something to be desired.
Game 2 of the series is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST in Cleveland. Needless to say, it will be a pivotal matchup for the Cavs as the series shifts to Indiana for Game 3.
Related Stories
Here's Which Players Topped the Jersey Sales for the 2017-18 NBA Season
The NBA has released its list of the top jersey sales for this season.
NBA Playoff Panic Meter: Which Fanbases Should be Shook Entering the Postseason
With teams like the Warriors and Celtics facing major injury issues, how concerned should fans be? We break down which fan bases should be freaking out and which ones should chill.
Guess Who LeBron James Thinks Should Win NBA MVP?
LeBron James thinks LeBron James has had a great season.
