What three takeaways can be seen for the Indiana Pacers from their 100-97 Game 2 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers?
Wednesday night, the Indiana Pacers were hoping to shock the NBA once again to take a 2-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a game that fans of all teams were looking forward to watching after Indiana had walked into Cleveland and handed LeBron James and company a 98-80 blowout loss in Game 1.
Tyronn Lue made it clear that his team needed to make some changes in Game 2 and lived up to his word. Kyle Korver and J.R. Smith were inserted into the starting lineup, with Jeff Green and Rodney Hood coming off the bench. Indiana, on the other hand, kept its same starting lineup.
Unfortunately for the Pacers, a 2-0 series lead simply wasn’t meant to be. Despite a 22-4 deficit in the first quarter, they battled back and made it a game. When everything was said and done, Indiana came up short by three points, with a final score of 100-97.
James was absolutely dominant, scoring 46 points on 17-for-24 shooting, while also grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out five assists. Victor Oladipo scored 22 points to lead the Pacers, but only played 28 minutes in the game after picking up two quick fouls just over a minute into the game.
While the Pacers are disappointed about coming up just short, they should be confident in their ability to take this series. No one on this Indiana team is scared of James or the Cavaliers.
With all of that being said, what three takeaways can be seen for the Pacers from Game 2 against the Cavaliers?