#4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #5 Indiana Pacers
Ryan Aston: There’s no denying the fact that the Indiana Pacers had a great season. Victor Oladipo and Nate McMillan deserve all the props they’re getting. That said, this bit of seeding is the worst kind of luck for them.
Despite the craziness of their year, I’ve still got LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Cavs in 5
Zack Padmore: This is a bold prediction, but I really think the Pacers have what it takes to upset LeBron James and the Cavaliers in round one. Cleveland’s defense is a legit concern, and the way Indiana plays offensively with pace, they will give the Cavaliers some problems. Victor Oladipo has been sensational this year, but they also get some great production from guys like Darren Collison, Thaddeus Young, Cory Joseph, etc. This figures to be a fun, competitive series. Pacers in 7
Jared Barker: Young, unproven and untested in the playoffs, the Pacers square off against King James and his crew. As much as I really like what Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner and and the gang have done this year, none of them have ever been the guy in the playoffs. LeBron is probably the only player that matters in this series. Cavs in 4
Tyler Thorpe: This is the year that LeBron’s incredible streak of consecutive first round playoff wins (21) finally comes to an end. This year’s Cleveland squad is far from one of LeBron’s most talented supporting casts. Meanwhile, this year’s sure-fire Most Improved Player, Victor Oladipo, has had an incredible year.
Despite the lack of talent around LeBron and Cleveland’s poor team defense, Indiana simply isn’t ready to take on the Cavs. Indiana’s surprising season already has them ahead of schedule in returning to relevance, however, this is not their year. Oladipo and Co. will defend home court and even the series at two games apiece, however, LeBron will ultimately be too much for this year’s Pacers squad. Cavs in 6
John Keeffer: Is anyone brave enough to bet against LeBron James? Because I’m not. LeBron James has an astonishing 21 consecutive victories in the first round of the playoffs. His last loss in the first round was in May of 2012.
Indiana has impressed all season, but tapered off a bit post-All-Star break. They posted just the 23rd ranked offense since the All-Star break, Cleveland had the 3rd. It is harder to increase your offensive production vs. your defensive production once the playoffs roll around. The Cavs may have a poor defense, but I expect them to ramp up their production to a slightly higher level with the playoffs here. If they don’t, they still have LeBron. Cavs in 4
Austin Leonard: The feature article that The Ringer recently put out on the Pacers should be mandatory reading for everyone before the playoffs start. Despite this surprise season the Pacers have had, one of these teams has Playoff LeBron and one of them doesn’t. LeBron could probably play 1 v 5 in the first round and still come out on top. The Pacers could get swept and their season will still be considered an overwhelming success. Cavs in 5
Tyler Crandall: Indiana has been fun this year. And a huge surprise. At this point, I think anything could happen with Oladipo and this squad, but is anyone really going to pick LeBron for a first-round exit? I didn’t think so. The Cavs, despite their flawed roster, are going to kick it up a gear at the behest of The King. Cavs in 5
Hayden Van de Maat: The Indiana Pacers have been a pleasant surprise this year as Victor Oladipo has broken out into superstardom and carried the Pacers to an incredible 48-34 record. But LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have their eyes fixed on even more than a first round win. Indiana is never an easy place to get a road win, especially when the playoffs come around.
But I sense this freshly made-up Cavs outfit are about to kick it into high gear and bulldoze their way to the NBA Finals once again. As much as I’d like to say the Pacers can continue their fairy-tale ride into the playoffs, LeBron James is going to be far too much to overcome. Cavs in 4
Jared Woodcox: After trading away their All-Star over the offseason and coming into the year as a team hardly anyone thought would be a playoff contender, the Pacers have shocked the world by finishing two spots higher than last year’s squad. Their reward? Yet another first-round matchup with LeBron and the Cavs.
This Pacers team honestly presents some matchup challenges for the Cavs and their lackluster D, so I think it will be a hard-fought series. They’ve shocked the world all year long, can they do it again? I hope so, but I’m not counting on it. LeBron turns into a different player in the playoffs while elevating his teammates as well. Indy’s depth and team-first approach will make them a tough out, but it ultimately won’t be enough to topple LeBron. Cavs in 6
General Consensus: Cavs in 5