The Cleveland Cavaliers were expected to secure a big win against the Indiana Pacers during Sunday’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference second round.
Instead, they were outplayed on their home court, and now fans are nervous about Game 2 and beyond.
Speaking on ESPN Cleveland, Tony Rizzo succinctly summed up why the Cavaliers lost.
“They made a bunch of threes, you didn’t,” Rizzo said, before adding that the Cavs should give the Pacers credit for a hard-fought and well-earned win.
"They made a bunch of 3s, you didn't," – @TheRealTRizzo on why the Cavs lost game 1.
Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/vSRWWUuHua
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 5, 2025
Rizzo made it clear that he still believes the Cavaliers will win this series, even after their disappointing first game.
But that requires that Cleveland examine what went wrong and make some necessary adjustments as soon as possible.
The Pacers were beyond hot from the three-point line on Sunday, sinking 52.8 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.
As for the Cavaliers, they had a meager 23.7 three-point percentage in the game.
Can Cleveland change those numbers in Game 2?
What happens if they can’t, and their shooting is still subpar?
How can they limit the Pacers, who seem to be unstoppable at times when shooting from downtown?
If the Cavaliers don’t score a definitive win in Game 2, there will be serious doubts about the rest of the postseason.
This team was supposed to go far in the playoffs, ideally all the way to the NBA Finals.
Game 1 sent a shiver down the spine of all Cavs fans because it proved this team can still have off nights even on a stage as large as the playoffs.
They know what they did wrong, now they just need to correct it.
NEXT: Donovan Mitchell Has Honest Admission About His Playoff Milestone
