2018 NBA Playoffs: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers preview

The 2018 NBA Playoffs are finally here and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be facing the Indiana Pacers in an intense old v.s new fight in the Eastern Conference.

It feels like the Cleveland Cavaliers have been stuck in the same news cycle for years now. It starts with LeBron James being an incredible talent and ends with “the Cavaliers have a terrible roster and they can’t play defense.” Then comes Playoff LeBron James.

This version of LeBron is the one that quiets all those news stories immediately. He’s the one who will post up a 30-point triple double and sweep you in the first two rounds kind of guy. He’s the type who will shut off his social media so he can focus on how to utterly destroy you type of guy. He’s the LeBron James the world waits for.

And then there’s the Indiana Pacers. This is a team that has no right to be as good as it is. A team that trades away its only All-Star caliber player in the offseason traditionally doesn’t succeed right away. The Pacers organization was originally panned for giving up such a valuable piece for what seemed like pennies on the dollar.

The problem is, Victor Oladipo had other plans in mind. The man took his body and his game and brought it to new heights, which will most likely win him the Most Improved Player of the Year award as well as an All-NBA spot this year.

This matchup is a game of opposites. It’s “been there, done that” vs. “just happy to be here.” It’s an All-Star in his 30s vs. a blossoming one, and a perennial powerhouse vs. a feel-good small market story. Here’s a look at some of the key factors in the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers matchup.