The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t face much adversity all season long.
They dominated from start to finish, and they didn’t have to prove themselves very often.
That’s not the case anymore.
The Indiana Pacers put them against the wall by taking them down in back-to-back games and stealing homecourt advantage from them.
Notably, that’s why Tristan Thompson knows there’s no more margin for error at this point.
When asked about the team’s mindset for the remainder of the series, the former NBA champion sent a clear message (via Evan Dammarell):
“Every game is like a Game 7 for us now,” Tristan Thompson said of the team’s mentality for the rest of this series.
“Every game is like a Game 7 for us now.”#Cavs big man Tristan Thompson on the team’s mentality for the rest of this series.
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) May 10, 2025
Thompson has barely been a factor on the court this season.
Nevertheless, he’s a proven veteran who has been there and done that many times in the past, and his leadership and playoff experience should be crucial to motivate his teammates and keep everybody in line.
Perhaps he can even be a factor by holding his ground with his well-known rebounding prowess to give his team some quality minutes and second-chance opportunities.
The Cavs know that they can’t afford to drop another game.
Coming back from a 2-1 series deficit isn’t anything new for this organization, but the Pacers are tough as nails, and there are no guarantees.
They need to make sure to even things up on Sunday night to reclaim homecourt advantage, and even if they lose Game 6, they would still have a chance to close things out in front of the home crowd.
They have to take things one game at a time, but knowing that they won’t have another shot.
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