Eastern Conference Semifinals Live Thread: Game 1, Pacers @ Cavs
2025-05-04Good evening CtB!
The Cavs welcome Central Division rival Indiana Pacers to the banks of the Cuyahoga River for what is the most underrated playoff series of the Conference Semifinal round. Both of these teams are young, exciting, and have had a lot of recent success but looking to take the next step of becoming an actual championship contender. Some have casted this series as “Pacers vs. better version of the Pacers” in the sense of both teams being driven by their prolific offenses, and struggle against physical defending teams. Which team can junk up the game with physical defense and win ugly? It’ll probably be the team that takes the series.
Tip off is scheduled for 6:00PM Eastern time and will be broadcasted live nationally on the TNT family of networks, Go Cavs!
This was from a few minutes ago…
Fedor reports all are OUT. Time to rise up and show that amazing depth. Ty or DM on court at all times, so not much overlap. JA load managed Jordan style (pull out before end of first and third qtrs so already resting).
Time for less glimmering rotation guys to shine.
Saw a report around noon that Mobley, Hunter, and Garland did not take part in the morning shoot around. Assume that means they’ll be no go’s.
Yeah it sounds like they’re doubtful, which is a huge problem.
It’s not great! But wilder things have happened.
EVEN A HEALTHY CAVS TEAM I WAS EXPECTING A TOUGH SERIES VS THE PACERS —- CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG DIDNT THEY HAVE THE BEST POST ALL STAR RECORD ——- THEY THROW ALOT OF TALENTED PLAYERS AT YOU—— CARLISLE IS NO SLOUCH AS A COACH EITHER——— THE ROCKET NEEDS TO BE ROCKING/ LOUD TONIGHT— 100% SUPPORTIVE THE ENTIRE GAME 👍🏀💪
I wonder if the “questionable” status is just KA playing a little chess before the game. If anyone is out, I would guess it’s probably Hunter. He took that nasty spill. Need to give Mathurin a hard screen/foul tonight. Can’t let them dictate the physicality of this series. If Ice is gonna play, he needs to go into goon mode. Otherwise, he needs to park himself to the bench.
I HOPE KA is playing 3D chess right now. In the presser he said “DG has an toe issue – I should probably know what it is, but I don’t, sorry”. I was shocked but then thought he is probably covering. I sure hope he is, a head coach should know every freakin’ detail of their all-star player injury.
Also, I don’t think Ice has a goon mode, but to save his career he might need to embrace it (he’s got the muscle) and I am here for it.
Dean Wade also needs to find his inner DAWG! The player that single handedly brought the Cavs back for a win, last year during that regular season come from behind victory versus the Celtics.
Not sure how much chess there is to play when they beat you quite handily fully healthy.
oops… DG was out, kind of a big omission there…
It might be a subtle way of working the refs – he talked about the fouls they missed, and then each player connected to those ends up on the injury list as “questionable.” Or . . . The depth needs to show up tonight!
Missed Game 1 due to travel (and not motivated to watch a replay 😬), but looking forward to Game 2 tonight. Clearly I underestimated the Pacers, but it might well have been shooting variance more than anything else, as KJG argues. But hey, misery loves company – all 3 regular season juggernauts lost their Game 1s! I think Jaylen could take some or all of Okoro’s minutes with no impact on spacing (is any playoff opponent respecting Okoro’s shot?), and it would improve the rebounding and wing defensive matchups. And if Garland sits out again, why not work CPJ in… Read more »
Man, did anyone have Boston, OKC, & the Cavs all losing?
We are un the worst shape of the three with the injuries. Hopefully we can circle the wagons & win G2 or at least get everyone back for G3 and take at least 1 in Indy.
the three second round games played so far have all been upsets. maybe it will be four of four tonight?
has that ever happened? with the reasonable assumption that the higher ranked team’s probability of winning the first game is 2/3, the chances of them all losing would be 1/81
Aaron F$#king Gordon!!!! 😲
Kudos to Westbrook for knowing not to try a game winning layup even though they were only down 1! And finding Gordon with time for AG to get his shot off comfortably. For all his well known faults, I think Westbrook played an outstanding game last night staying within his role.
I’ve not been a fan of Westbrook for a while, but he’s really shown some chops in his current role.
Ohhhh!!!!!
Oh man. The Joker with a cool three to get it to one, then Westbrook bonks an open three on the next possession.
Celtics were up 20 in the third quarter, making tonight their largest blown lead in the playoffs since 1997. You hate to see it.
I’m happy — better chance of the series going 7 games
Mikal Bridges!!! 53 of 55 minutes played. Go Knicks. Say it loud, say it proud
Or 51 of 53.
That steal at the end was incredible. He didn’t look at the inbound pass, just watched his man.
Boston clutch offense so bad.