The Cleveland Cavaliers rolled past their opposition in the regular season.
They kept their foot on the gas in the first round with a dominant sweep of the Miami Heat.
Now, things won’t be as easy.
The Indiana Pacers are riding great momentum, and they’ve been a tough match for the Cavs this season, beating them three out of four times, including the last two.
Of course, everything changes in a seven-game series, but the Pacers also have an edge on the seat, as Rick Carlisle has way more experience in those settings than Kenny Atkinson.
With that in mind, NBA analyst Ethan Sands believes that, given how tight this series might be, this could come down to the two best players: Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Haliburton.
“Both teams have balanced scoring. Both have schemes that can manufacture points without forcing the stars to carry a 40% usage rate. But in late-game situations, everything tightens. And in that crucible, Mitchell and Haliburton will have to be the difference. Not just as scorers, but as leaders,” Sands wrote. “Their performance — and how the other team schemes against them — will shape this series as much as anything else.”
Haliburton is one of the best playmakers in the league, but he’s drawn a reputation for going missing in action during key stretches.
That wasn’t the case in the series-clinching win over the Milwaukee Bucks, as he made two huge shots down the stretch to pull off the comeback.
Even so, the Cavs should have an edge in that department.
Mitchell is a seasoned veteran with much more playoff experience, and he’s a more versatile bucket-getter who can get to his spots and create his own shot from all three levels.
This will be a tough series from all perspectives, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see it go down to the wire.
But at the end of the day, sometimes these series come down to talent.
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