Indiana (3-3) at Cleveland (3-3)
When: Sunday, April 29th 2018
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
Time: 1:00 ET | TV: TNT
Opening Odds: Cleveland -5.5/200
LeBron James has never been on a team that has lost a first round series (12-0), but that streak will be put to the test this coming Sunday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena, as the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers in a do-or-die Game 7 of their Eastern Conference series. Victor Oladipo kept the Pacers alive with a dominating Game 6 effort, recording his first career triple-double (28 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) in a 121-87 blowout victory. The underrated Domantas Sabonis chipped in 19 points as the Pacers snapped Cleveland’s 14-game winning streak in closeout games, including 11 in a row involving a James-led team. The three-time defending Eastern Conference champs were led by James’ 22 points, seven assists, and five rebounds despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Nobody else scored more than 13 points as the Cavaliers look for someone else to step up and help King James. After the Pacers erased a 22-17 deficit with a 12-2 run, the Cavs never led again. The Pacers performance in Game 6 included 56.3% shooting and forcing 15 Cleveland turnovers.
Oladipo went 12-of-50 from the field in Games 3, 4 and 5 combined but came back strong in Game 6 when his team needed it most, shooting 11-of-19 from the field including 6-of-8 from beyond the arc, as Indiana combined to go 15-of-30 from 3-point range. Sabonis is also hot, averaging 20 points on 26-of-35 shooting over the last three games. All five starters – plus two off the bench – scored in double-figures as the Pacers put forth their most complete effort of this series.
James was the only starter to score in double figures on Friday as fellow All-Star Kevin Love managed just seven points on 3-of-10 shooting. Love is averaging 11 points on a dismal 32.4% shooting in the series after posting 17.6 points on 45.8% during the regular season. Cleveland could use point guard George Hill (back) in the lineup, but he’s missed the last three games and is questionable for Sunday. Maybe Kyle Korver should start shooting more, as he’s 11-of-22 from 3-point range over the last three games.
Its really simple here – the Pacers are the better team in this series. Without James, the Cavaliers would have been swept. Indiana has already won in Cleveland and could have easily taken two others. There’s a very good shot that Indiana wins this game, so I’m taking the points.
Pick: Pacers +5.5
- Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games.
- Pacers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Pacers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Pacers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. NBA Central.
- Pacers are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Pacers are 18-6 ATS in their last 24 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Pacers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Pacers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Pacers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Pacers are 36-14-1 ATS in their last 51 Sunday games.
- Pacers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Cavaliers are 16-37-1 ATS in their last 54 home games.
- Cavaliers are 12-37-2 ATS in their last 51 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Central.
- Cavaliers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Cavaliers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 8-1-1 in Pacers last 10 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 7-1 in Pacers last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 14-2-1 in Pacers last 17 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 6-1 in Pacers last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Under is 13-3 in Pacers last 16 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 16-4-1 in Pacers last 21 vs. NBA Central.
- Under is 16-5 in Pacers last 21 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 19-6-1 in Pacers last 26 road games.
- Under is 20-7 in Pacers last 27 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 19-7-1 in Pacers last 27 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 16-6 in Pacers last 22 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 16-6 in Pacers last 22 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 23-9-1 in Pacers last 33 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 10-4-1 in Pacers last 15 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Under is 35-16-1 in Pacers last 52 overall.
- Under is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 home games.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Cavaliers last 9 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 6-1 in Cavaliers last 7 overall.
- Under is 6-1 in Cavaliers last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Under is 6-1 in Cavaliers last 7 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Under is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 vs. NBA Central.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 7-2 in Cavaliers last 9 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 7-3 in Cavaliers last 10 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings in Cleveland.
- Under is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings.
- Pacers are 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings in Cleveland.
- Pacers are 18-7-1 ATS in the last 26 meetings.
