Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 takeaways from Game 4 vs. Pacers

2. Second half struggles making things difficult for Cleveland

In Game 3, the Cavaliers built up a 17-point lead, only to have it slowly slip away before the Pacers won 92-90.

Game 4 was more of the same, as Cleveland led by as many as 16, only for Indiana to cut it down and actually take the lead on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter.

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In the two games played in Indiana, the Cavaliers were outscored 102-77 in the second half, a staggering number considering the veterans on Cleveland’s roster and the youth and inexperience of Indiana’s.

While it’s certainly encouraging that the Cavaliers are able to build double-digit leads on the road, it’s equally concerning that they’ve continued to let those leads slip away.

Maybe the Cavaliers advance into the second round and beyond, but their opponents will only get tougher with every round.

With the lack of talent on their roster and a seemingly more competitive Eastern Conference, the Cavs can’t afford to let even a single game slip through their fingers. This team needs every win it can scratch and claw its way to.

The Cavaliers simply have to do a better job of using the energy that got them the lead and focusing it on not giving it up, as teams in the later rounds will be more able to steal the games they seem to just be giving away.