Eastern Conference Semifinals Live Thread: Game 2, Pacers @ Cavs
2025-05-06Good evening CtB!
The Cavs again welcome the Indiana Pacers to the banks of the Cuyahoga River for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, down 1-0 in the series. What happened Sunday evening? Sadly, the Cavs simply didn’t show up. They played soft, weak, whiny, and entitled and as such got their asses handed to them by a team that’s not even known as a physical team. In fact, the Pacers were ranked 28th in the NBA in rebounding rate this season yet they ended up drawing on the board battle 43-43. That speaks to just how pathetic the Cavs’ physicality in the game was.
And now, that lack of hit-first mentality resulted in injuries to several Cavs, most notably DeAndre Hunter and Evan Mobley. My guess is that they play, but how compromised are they? Indiana is playing loose and free without the burden of expectations. For the Cavs, this is the first adversity of the postseason… how will they respond? Every test this year they’ve risen to the occasion.
Tip off is scheduled for 7:00PM Eastern time and will broadcasted live on Fanduel Sports Network, Go Cavs!
Was so upset with Strus for “not” taking the corner 3 on that play where he ended up missing a very difficult reverse layup – this time he takes and makes the 3!
Max w an energy dose for gassed Donovan!!
Bingo!!!
DG better be able to go in game 3. Spida is cooked and will take a while to recover.
GS it stop terrible offense terrible foul.
Ughhh. These and 1s are killing me
Mitchell come on.
2 minutes. Season teetering. GO CAVS!!!!
Can barely look at the tv
Bahhhhh. FT’s win games
Ice got bailed out on that drive
Alright. In the penalty. HIT THOSE FREETHROWS.
Allen has to give more help there
We need some scoring.. give me anything, a JA alley oop, put back, layup, free throws at this point… it’s just some ugly offense.
Ty has literally given us basically nothing – 1/14 FG, 3 TO, 2 RBS, 4 AST..
That’s been rough.
Ty & Okoro don’t want any part of a shot.
I think we need Merrill to run with Spida, JA, & Strus. The 5th is a struggle right now.
Okoro and Allen afraid to shoot
Allen needed to go straight up there. I don’t get it.
Jerome, too.
Although that could be a plus at this point.
We are gonna need Amazing Spidaman and some good D.
Strus is bleeding and they are bitching about the call.
Let’s get in the bonus.
I’m here counting fouls right now.
We are there.
Gotta get Wade in for Okoro for d.
Hope they don’t challenge that.
Mitchell can’t chuck he’s not shooting well enough
This looks like a choke coming.
Get it together, guys.
Cavs looked cooked. I hate saying this.
We cannot get set on D.
Cavs look panicked on O.
GM’s with cap space might be thinking twice about loading up the Brinks truck for Ty. Lights looking a little bright at the moment…
We have not scored this quarter. Ty is bricking. Strus & Sam also missed a bunny & an open 3.
Gotta come with Spida & JA. Get Jerome out.
Not good…
Ty is off by a ton on the shot.
Up 14 going to the 4th.
Think Spider & JA go the distance from here?
That sucked at the end. Nesmith has made 2-3 of those shots when Indy really needed it.
Letting Haliburton get loose like that was really bad D.
Not a great FT shooter, though.
Wade with a five point turnaround and not in a good way SMH.
If he is moving at all on the shot it has no chance.
Yep. But on this shot, wide open, no lateral movement. Still sprayed right. Ugh.
I know it isn’t a huge thing, but Okoro is a,very good screener.
He’s gotten much better. Ethics game they were very intentional with their screens and it helped disrupt Indy’s d.
You trap the Spida, but he still stings!
Gah this game is gonna kill me. Gotta hope they can keep this up.
Strus huge dunk, then we struggle.
Jerome is short arming everything. We need to get him a standstill shot or a FT. Maybe CPJ for a minute or two.
Maximum Strus!
Spida nails a 3! He was set for that one, not off the dribble. Back up to 17.
Spider gets one to go from deep!
Beating up Nesmith
Love it.
Defensive rotations have been mostly sharp
Great first half. Sorry guys. I got started late.
You are allowed to have a life, Nate.
Lol. Tell my work.
Send me their details.
Jerome short armed that.
Wade and Ice and Sam have been spectacular.
I didn’t have “Don plays like Giannis and it’s all rim attacks” but that worked for us last January and it’s working now.
Probably should have started Okoro last game. The POA defense is really hurting Indy’s ability to get into flow (although they scored 35 in Q2 so maybe it’s all good)
Strus has been awful good, too.
Indeed
Wow!
Attacked the rack.
Yep.
Indy is soft. Turning it into a 3PT contest is playing into their hands.
But up 11 at half, sans DG, Mobes, and Hunter is darn close to best case scenario.
Dear Spider,
Stop jacking 3s early in the clock.
Terrible pass by JA there. We have been excellent taking care of the ball, mostly.
Gotta keep scrambling this game.
Spida bricking from 3. Attack the rack.
Up 13 with Jerome getting blanked was not on my bingo card.
I need 3 Jerome 3’s for my parlay, not looking great.
Steus is loose!
Back up 13!
Strus!
Dang fat fingers.
Great start. But they are getting back in it.
Spida time!
We at least know that lights won’t be too bright for Strus.
Too 3 happy atm
Less of a problem when they go in…
Cavs made McConnell look like Kevin Pangos in that first quarter
Now that’s a little more like it…A little more physical presence and shooting numbers leveling out a bit.
Attaway Sam
M3rril!!!
STILL WISH KOBY COULD HAVE FOUND/ SIGNED A LEGIT —EXPERIENCED BACK UP POST
Mobley hurt himself on an uncontested dunk last year. Was that soft? Sometimes luck just isn’t with you.
CPJ
COJ / TY HAVE TO GIVE SOLID MINUTES———- ICE HAS TO EARN HIS CONTRACT MONEY!!!
This is a good matchup for (Indiana native) CPJ.
He’s also good on the boards!
TRYING TO STAY POSITIVE — BUT A CLOUD 🌧️ IS LOOMING OVER—— JUST GOT A 12 PACK OF “
GARAGE “ BEER 🍺—— MIGHT CONSUME ALL OF IT TONIGHT —— GO CAVS “ NEXT 1 UP HAS TO BE AT THEIR BEST!!!!!!!
Let’s go Tristan!
Here are the starters. Time to go full Thibs!
That’s the starting 5 I was hoping for – especially without Hunter to pair with him as 6th/7th men, start Ty rather than Merrill.
And I think we’re going to see some CPJ and Jaylen minutes in meaningful stretches tonight – no choice!
Almost prefer if Allen and Wade were injured over Mobley/Hunter, They’re gonna target Allen again.
Time to junk it up!
Not good…
That being said, Cavs still 6.5 point favorites.
The Mitchell/Allen pairing is productive and strong.
Totally disagree with the assessment. Cavs got tackled in mid air and refs let Indy do it. I hope they show some toughness here, and hit open shots and play mean. Thanks for getting lt.
agree. Cavs got a very bad whistle and Pacers had an exceptionally good shooting day. don’t listen to the Nervous Nellies
Yeah “they were soft so they got hurt” is crazy work.
Giannis has been hurt 2/3 playoffs. Brunson always hurt. Embiid always hurt. Those are tough and strong dudes. It’s just a bad series of breaks.
Just gotta root for all the bench guys you don’t really like to come through. Go Tyson! Go Ice! Go Sam and Dean!
“ MORE FRIGGIN BEER 🍺 PLEASE “ —— GO CAVS ——- FANS NEED TO BE LOUD AND PROUD