Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 keys to series vs. Pacers

After a long and stressful regular season, it’s time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to start their march back to the NBA Finals, starting with their first round matchup against the Indiana Pacers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been through a lot in 2017-18.

The roster has gone through four different iterations, as chemistry issues and injuries prompted a massive overhaul at the trade deadline. After all that has happened during the regular season, the Cavs have the chance to make it all worth it with how they perform over the next two and a half months.

LeBron James-led teams are typically judged for what they do in the playoffs. The regular season is more of a tune-up for the ultimate goal, and with the playoffs upon us, the Cavs will have to step up their game.

Their first-round opponent is the Indiana Pacers, a team many thought was headed toward a rebuild after trading Paul George. Instead, they’ve made the playoffs led by first-time All-Star Victor Oladipo.

While Cleveland should be favored in this first round matchup, it is by no means a guaranteed victory. Here are five keys for the Cavaliers if they hope to advance to the second round.