Playoff Live Thread: Cavs vs. Pacers, Game 5 (#KeepIt100)
2018-04-25
If the Cavaliers want to do Whatever It Takes to win Game 5, to take a commanding lead in this see-saw series with the Indiana Pacers… they really only need to focus on one thing… scoring in the triple digits. As we’ve seen thus far, if all the Cavs had done in the first four games was Keep It 100… the series could already have been over (or at worst featured an overtime game). That’s right, the team that gave up an average of 109.9 points per game during the rocky road of the regular season, has been downright stingy in allowing an average of 96.7 to the Pacers thus far. They only gave up a hundo in Game 4, but it was exactly the century mark and no more.
Unfortunately, the same high-octane offense the Cavs ran in the first 82 games (good for 110.9 ppg), has also gotten tremendously bogged down by the Indy defense and it’s own weirdly plodding pace of play, averaging just 93.5 points per contest. Both victories have 100 in common… even though it’s only been just that or barely more than that. Still, this benchmark is key for the wine & gold. Very simply, if they continue to play defense at the level they’ve achieved in the first quartet of games… they just need to Keep It 100.
To do this, however, they need to keep their energy level, focus and determination also at 100%. That shouldn’t need to mean LeBron James playing all 48 minutes (or 46, or 44 or even 42). It should mean that the Cavs are getting contributions from other guys, as they did on Sunday. George Hill has been ruled 100% out again for this game, so 100 year old Jose Calderon (sorry, jk Jose!) will have to bear the starting PG burden once again. The Cavs should also expect Lance Stephenson to keep his antics at 100… so, perhaps a well-timed Angry Smurf elbow should be in his future (just sayin’).
Per usual, I won’t make an exact prediction… other than to say that I expect the Cavs to Keep It 100, which should be enough to edge the Pacers.
Catch all the action starting at 7pm EST on TNT… and as always chime in here!
I’m just bummed they didn’t Keep it 100… lol
Hello everyone this is Dwayne Wade. LOL. Did J.R. Smith really think he was going to start over me? 33 minutes and 0 points. I never compared myself to Jordan, Kobe, Pippen, whoever, but come on people 0 points in 33 minutes. WOW, BUT A WIN IS A WIN!
That block on Dipo was fantastic as well.
Other than Kyle & Jose, no one beside Bron could hit a shot. JR & Kev COMBINED for 2 FGs. Gotta do better.
We need to close them out in 6. I want no part of a game 7.
closer than usual but what a game winner and end game sequence by LBJ….need to really crash the boards and box out like a mother….go after everything…Pacers still think they’re alive
LBJ, Korver, and Calderon got it done for the starters…. LNJ, Clarkson, and Green were able to tread water for the bench.
Thank god we have LeBron, but it never should have gotten to that point. Fire Ty Lue. Fire Ty Lue.
Insane he is still this great at this age with that many hard minutes on his body. Defies logic
Loved that celebration. LeBron is the man.
GOAT. Plain and simple. Game saving block. Game winning shot. LET’S GOOOOOOOO
https://twitter.com/WindhorstESPN/status/989319630983516162
The GOAT. Also, a 3 by any number of people could have kept it from getting that close, but they choked and LeBron didn’t.
If only it had been game 7.
Crazy positive momentum to go on the road.
Great win.
Hope Kev got the poop out of his system with this stinker of a game.
And JR… who was worse
Been nothing but poop all series.
Just greatness. But we suck
7 min without a FG.
Until that.
Wow!
15/15 fts. God that was so huge tonight!
Wowowowowowowowser!!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAGGER!!!!! KNEW THAT SHIT WAS IN!!!!!!!!!
Can Ty Lue still be fired after a win?
I wish.
Insane finish. Wow!!!!!!!
Saved his best for last!
pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt king
NBA Leaguepass has frozen so I assume what has just happened is good based on your comments.
LeBron 3pt buzzer beater
FFS but hey that’s great but FFS but go Cavs!
Exact same shot as Orlando 2009!!!!!!!!
Was thinking the same thing when he pulled up to take and was like, it’s in. No doubt.
WOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!!! Hadn’t made a jump shot all night until…
WE GOT LEBRON AND YOU DON’T!!!!
Ahhhhhhahhahhahhahabhababbabhababbahahba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHADES OF 2009!!!!!!!
WHAT A PLAY!!!! LBJ!!!!!!
James is putting the entire city on his back. Unreal.
He’s dragging along Love who’s around his ankles.
YEEESSSSS!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y_cl3WIO6A
Worried if this goes to ot.
Greatest player in the universe.
Well. Alright.
LBJ with the game saving block!!!!! Don’t know where he found that energy !! Oh actually may have been a goaltend!
The ball hit the out of bounds line when young hit it
LeBron’s taking this last shot.
Why didn’t they review that Outabounds play off James it was obviously a Cavs ball on the replay
What a block. Where did he summon the energy for that?
Glad Ty didn’t waste all the TOs…
Dude, Love sucks
HUGE BLOCK!
Well, that Lance three at the end of the third might just be the difference…
Bron TO.
Is that OB when Young knocks it out?
Yes. Why no review??
Whelp that was a nothing play by Lue. LBJ is gassed. Can’t just drive and expect to ….wait goddamnit out on young!!!!
How can they not review this????
https://twitter.com/twithersAP/status/989318333064450053
Looked like KLOVE was fouled on his shot. Green can’t pass that open 3 up.
https://twitter.com/JasonLloydNBA/status/989317797971922944
and Lue gave them 70 minutes combined.
This team really sucks. Kevin Love is legitimately one of the biggest no-show players in any big game in the history of the NBA. He’s utter garbage. What an embarrassment.
Yeah that’s kind of recency bias and a matchup issue but ok
That was absolutely brutal
Argh.
Do we go 2 for 1?
0 for 0
Great call Lue….. Green made that defense possession
Gonna need some luck… and for someone to hit a shot… READ THE HASHTAG CAVS!!!!
10 missed jumpers in a row for the Cavs
I love Kev, but can we trade him for Leonard?
They lose this, the knives will be out for him for sure.
Why are they still doing that loose double team on Oladipo…he has not shot well tonight and they are burning us on it
Damnit green passes corner three and love can’t hit a contested Trey. Tie game. Yikes yikes yikes. Hopefully Lue pulls a rabbit out of his hat for an easy bucket.
Cavs used up all their gas trying to not cave in the third…
This is painful
This is a clinic in prevent defense. Terrible.
Oh got so so lucky on sabonis missed bunny
And… tie game
Love just can’t hit a shot…
So lucky that Sabonis bricked the layup…
Calderon just too far away on that 3.
Ahhh! LBJ is gassed. Terrified. Indy getting easier shots