INDIANAPOLIS — Tuesday night brought the red hot Indiana Pacers a knock-down, drag-em-out fight from a team you would least suspect. The Superstar-less Cleveland Cavaliers battled back and forth with the Pacers all evening. With many lead changes throughout the game it was hard for the Pacers to pull away at any point of the game. Two missed Victor Oladipo free throws gave the Cavs a chance to win late and they did just that after Larry Nance Jr. put back a Rodney Hood jumper as time expired to win it 92-91 ending the Pacers win streak at 7.
In a fast paced first quarter the two teams swapped baskets looking to gain momentum. The Pacers got a great first quarter from Myles Turner and Bojan Bogdanovic with 6 points each while the Cavs had big contributions from Matthew Dellavedova and Cedi Osman. Neither team capitalized on open looks that kept the game close
The second quarter mirrored the first with the trading of shots and both teams struggling to hold a lead. Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr began to get into an offensive rhythm in the second period with Nance Jr adding 6 rebounds to his stat sheet before the half. Domantas Sabonis had 9 points and 6 rebounds at the half that kept the Pacers within a point at the break.
Cavs coach Larry Drew had game planned a different lineup than they usually put on the court and it ultimately made a difference in the outcome of the game.
“I would say that was one of the reasons of victory,” said Drew. “Having the group we had to go into tonight’s game with had me a little concerned. Obviously when you lose a guy like Jordan Clarkson who’s your leading scorer it’s harder. We had to do the job by committee and we did that for the most part tonight.”
The Pacers did sustain a run in the third quarter to get their lead to a game high 7 points, but Dellavedova brought the Cavs right back. Indiana struggled to get into a rhythm to put the Cavaliers away and it just wasn’t their night and Coach McMillan agreed.
“I thought we could really build on the momentum that we had,” said McMillan. “I told our guys ‘Don’t get bored of winning.’ There are no gimmies in this league. We didn’t look at Cleveland like that, but we didn’t play hard enough and weren’t sharp enough to win.”
The sharpness that McMillan was alluding to showed late in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. Victor Oladipo approached the free throw line with a one point lead and shooting two free throws. Oladipo proceeded to miss both shots giving the Cavs an opportunity for their eventual game winner.
“I just have to be better,” said Oladipo. “I have to be better down the stretch. I have to make free throws. That’s my job as a leader on this team, to step up and make free throws, make big shots, make big decisions down the stretch. This one’s on me and I’ll be better in the future.”
Indiana has no time to sulk about the loss as the play the Eastern Conference leading Toronto Raptors Wednesday night on the road. With the loss, the Pacers fall to 20-11 for the season and to third in the Eastern Conference after previously being tied with the Bucks for second.