Indiana (48-34) at Cleveland (50-32)
When: Sunday, April 15th 2018
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
Time: 3:30 ET | TV: ABC
Opening Odds: Cleveland -7/217.5
This wasn’t the season LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers mapped out, but it is what it is, and they’ll take their 50 regular season wins into the postseason and seek their fourth-straight Eastern Conference crown. Standing in their way in the first round are the pesky Indiana Pacers, who beat Cleveland three out of four meetings this season. However, all four of those contests came before the trade deadline, which was the key date in turning around the Cavs’ season. Cleveland made a number of moves then to improve their overall team and ended the season with some momentum, winning 11 of their last 14 games to claim the No. 4 seed in the East. They are still the betting favorites to reach the NBA Finals, even over top-seeded Toronto. Indiana closed strong as well, winning seven of their final 10 with four of those wins on the road and a 20-point home win over the Golden State Warriors.
Indiana was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Cavaliers last spring but is a different team this time around thanks to the addition over Victor Oladipo, who led the Pacers in scoring (23.1), assists (4.3), and steals (2.4). Oladipo was acquired last summer in the deal that sent Paul George to Oklahoma City. Center Domantas Sabonis closed the regular season strong with 30 points last Sunday at Charlotte and a double-double in the season finale on Tuesday.
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For the first time in his Hall of Fame career, James played in all 82 regular-season games for Cleveland, and at 33, averaged career highs in rebounds (8.6) and assists (9.1) while adding 27.5 points on 54.2% shooting. The Cavaliers’ defense has been an issue all season, but has improved slightly since the big trades of Jordan Clarkson, George Hill, and Rodney Hood. They ended the season ranked 26th in points allowed (109.9) and 28th in defensive field goal percentage (47.4). Hood (Achilles) sat out the final two games of the regular season but is expected to be available on Sunday.
I really can’t see the Pacers giving Cleveland much of a challenge in this series, other than the games back in Indianapolis. LeBron is focused and ready to roll this postseason, and they’ll get started with a blowout in Game 1.
Pick: Cavaliers -6.5
- Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up loss.
- Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a ATS loss.
- Pacers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Pacers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Central.
- Pacers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Pacers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Pacers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Pacers are 22-6 ATS in their last 28 games following a double-digit loss at home.
- Pacers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Pacers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Pacers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Pacers are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Pacers are 35-15-1 ATS in their last 51 Sunday games.
- Pacers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
- Pacers are 33-16-2 ATS in their last 51 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Cavaliers are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
- Cavaliers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Sunday games.
- Cavaliers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Cavaliers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Cavaliers are 17-35-1 ATS in their last 53 games following a double-digit loss at home.
- Cavaliers are 16-34-1 ATS in their last 51 home games.
- Cavaliers are 14-39-2 ATS in their last 55 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 4-0 in Pacers last 4 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 5-0-1 in Pacers last 6 vs. NBA Central.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Pacers last 4 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 10-1-1 in Pacers last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 7-1 in Pacers last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Over is 5-1 in Pacers last 6 games following a double-digit loss at home.
- Under is 12-3 in Pacers last 15 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 4-1 in Pacers last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Under is 23-7-1 in Pacers last 31 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 15-5-1 in Pacers last 21 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 11-4 in Pacers last 15 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 16-6 in Pacers last 22 overall.
- Under is 16-6-1 in Pacers last 23 road games.
- Under is 17-7 in Pacers last 24 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 12-5 in Pacers last 17 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Under is 14-6 in Pacers last 20 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 home games.
- Over is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 8-2 in Cavaliers last 10 games following a double-digit loss at home.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 games following a straight up loss.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Cavaliers last 6 vs. NBA Central.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Under is 6-2 in Cavaliers last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 11-5 in Cavaliers last 16 Sunday games.
- Over is 33-15-3 in Cavaliers last 51 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Over is 4-0-1 in the last 5 meetings in Cleveland.
- Pacers are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Cleveland.
- Under is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings.
- Pacers are 13-5-1 ATS in the last 19 meetings.
