The Cavs got smacked 98-80 on their homecourt in Game 1 vs the Pacers thanks to a solid performance by Victor Oladipo. Many thought that Indiana couldn’t hang with Cleveland but they are in the same division and Oladipo has grown into a star this season.
LeBron James believes the drama during the regular season and the trades at the midpoint of the year slowed the team’s preparation for the playoffs down, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. This is very unusual considering that the trades were supposed to repair a roster that was already dysfunctional.
“I think we spent so much time trying to figure out who we were in the regular season and getting the right lineups and guys in and out and things of that nature, we could never build for the playoffs,” said James. “It was kind of like, build for the next game. So the postseason finally hit us and it hit us very well. And I think that can be the best teacher for us to know exactly what we should be ready for tonight.”
Cleveland needs to make the proper adjustments fast because guys like Oladipo, Myles Turner, Lance Stephenson, and Al Jefferson are gonna come with it. Stephenson does a great job of challenging James and Turner and Jefferson are both solid big men that can dominate in the paint. The Pacers will look to continue to stun the NBA by going up 2-0 on the Cavs tonight in Cleveland.
