Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers – prediction team news form guide…
The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will light up on Monday night, when the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their round two NBA Playoff series.
The Cavs ended the regular season as the number one seed in the East, while the Pacers finished fourth, and the winner of this series will face either the Celtics or Knicks in the conference final.
After an incredible regular season in which they finished as the top seed with 64 wins and set several new franchise records, the Cleveland Cavaliers made light work of the Miami Heat in the first round, sweeping the series 4-0.
While the Heat were not at their best this season, Cleveland’s advancement carries even more weight when you consider it was just the second time Erik Spoelstra has been swept in his entire coaching career – a rare feat that speaks volumes about what the Cavs are all about this season.
Kenny Atkinson’s side won their two home games against the Heat 121-100 and 121-112, respectively, meaning they have still only lost seven games at home this season, which is the second-best record behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Donovan Mitchell carried his excellent form into the postseason and led the charge with a strong first-round series, averaging 23.8 points, while Darius Garland made an early impact, putting up 24 points per game in the first two outings before a minor injury sidelined him for the Miami stretch.
While the Pacers won the regular-season series 3-1, you can strike a line through the last two games, which were played in the final week of the campaign, when the Cavaliers were resting the likes of Mitchell, Garland and Defensive Player of the Year, Evan Mobley.
Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers in action against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 21, 2024
© Imago
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers stumbled out of the gate this season, but they found their rhythm just in time, rediscovering the high-octane, free-flowing offence that made them so dynamic a year ago to clinch the fourth seed with a 50-32 record.
Heading into the Playoffs against Milwaukee, many had expected a close series, but the Pacers were a class above their opponents and steamrolled past the Bucks in a 4-1 series win, knocking them out of the postseason for the second straight year.
Indiana has been powered by the brilliance of Tyrese Haliburton, who notched double-doubles in four of five games with points and assists against the Bucks, while Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner have been rock-solid, delivering crucial support on both ends of the floor.
While Cleveland’s depth would be a major advantage against most Eastern Conference teams, that may not be the case against Rick Carlisle’s Pacers, who are stacked at every position and finished with the NBA’s sixth-best record post the All-Star break.
Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Playoffs form:
Giannis requesting a trade could be a disaster for the Suns.
The Phoenix Suns would love to get their hands on Giannis Antetokounmpo. But that doesn’t mean him requesting a trade would be a good thing.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the cornerstone for the Milwaukee Bucks, serving as their driving force for years.
However, after being unceremoniously bounced in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Indiana Pacers, the Bucks are possibly moving towards a future without the Greek Freak.
The Bucks would likely only consider trading Giannis if he asked them to, something that would come after he meets with ownership in the coming weeks to discuss the direction of the organization. If a trade happened, the Bucks could expect to get a massive return for the future Hall of Famer. The Phoenix Suns might want to get in the mix, but Giannis on the market isn’t a good thing for them.
Potential Giannis trade could mess up the Kevin Durant trade market
The outlook for the Suns and Bucks looks bleak. Since meeting in the 2021 NBA Finals, both teams have managed their futures with win now moves that haven’t worked. The Suns made the blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant in 2023. They then added Bradley Beal that offseason to create a super team that ultimately fell apart.
All signs point to a rebuild in Phoenix after a disappointing season. The team finished 36-46, parted ways with head coach Mike Budenholzer and now the Suns are likely to explore trades for Durant. But any team that would theoretically be interested in Durant — the Spurs, the Thunder, the Warriors, the Heat, the Rockets — would almost certainly prefer Giannis.
Durant could be the team’s biggest trade chip, and moving him could signal the Suns’ reset for the future. However, the Bucks may get a bigger return because he may give them a better chance to compete.
Despite how brilliant Durant has remained throughout the years, Giannis, who turns 31 in December, is significantly younger as a player still in his prime, especially after this season, in which he averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists and probably finish in top five in MVP voting. He also has two years left on his contract.
There is no wrong answer to the Durant or Giannis debate. Teams like the Houston Rockets or San Antonio Spurs could benefit from adding either player, but it feels like you’ll get more out of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. If he hits the market, the Suns may find fewer suitors offering less for Durant.
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