It is win-or-go-home for the Cleveland Cavaliers when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Wednesday for Game Five of the sides' Eastern Conference semi-final matchup.
The home side have a mountain to climb in their quest to overturn a 3-1 series deficit for what would be only the 14th time in NBA history if they are to preserve their championship ambitions.
Match preview
© Imago
Having put themselves back in contention with a victory in Game Three, the Cavaliers put on arguably their worst display of the year en route to a comprehensive 129-109 defeat to the Pacers in Monday's fourth instalment at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Kenny Atkinson's men were made to pay for another sloppy start as they went into the interval down by a whopping 41 points—the joint-largest half-time margin in playoff history—which rendered their second-half fightback inconsequential.
As if losing the game was not bad enough, the Cavaliers also lost talisman Donovan Mitchell to injury midway through the contest, further complicating what is already a herculean task at hand for the number one seed in the East.
Averaging the most points per game of any NBA team in the playoffs (121.3), just like during the regular season (121.9), the Cavaliers' relatively meagre tally of 109 last time out was their second-fewest in 23 matches since mid-March.
Returning back to their home court, where they have been beaten in both of the last two outings, Wednesday's hosts simply must rise to the occasion with a win here to force a Game Six and live to fight another day.
© Imago
The Pacers sent shock waves around the East last season by reaching the conference finals, and the team from Indiana are now just one victory away from repeating the feat thanks to their emphatic win earlier today.
Rick Carlisle's men claimed their third wire-to-wire victory of the playoffs and the first of the current series thanks to a host of big performances from the likes of Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner and Obi Toppin.
Perhaps the biggest proof of the Pacers' dominance was that they were able to give a vast majority of their starting unit the entire fourth quarter off, having led by as many as 44 points at the start of the third quarter.
While he would have undoubtedly been thrilled by his side's stunning display, head coach Carlisle has charged his team to continue to keep their foot on the gas ahead of Wednesday's trip to Ohio with a chance to finish things off.
Thanks to some impressive ball movement which yielded a playoff record 25 dimes at the interval last time out, the Pacers continue to generate some of the best offensive displays seen during the postseason and will definitely take some stopping here.
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
Team News
© Imago
Donovan Mitchell is a doubt for the Cavaliers due to an ankle problem he suffered in Game Four, where he missed the entire second half after sitting out only four minutes in the first half.
Should Mitchell be deemed unfit to participate, Sixth Man of the Year nominee Ty Jerome could be handed a starting role to partner Darius Garland in the backcourt.
With the exception of Isaiah Jackson, who is out for the season through a calf issue he picked up back in November, the Pacers have everyone fit and available for this one.
Off the back of the most efficient 20-point playoff game in franchise history, shooting 90% from the field, Pascal Siakam will be looking to deliver the goods for the away side once again.
Cleveland Cavaliers possible starting five:
Garland, Jerome; Strus, Mobley; Allen
Indiana Pacers possible starting five:
Haliburton, Nembhard; Nesmith, Siakam; Turner
We say: Pacers to win by 6+ points
With Mitchell unlikely to feature, the Cavaliers have it all to do against a Pacers outfit with the wind in their sails.
While we are expecting a close contest, we are leaning towards a win for the away side to close out the series.
Adepoju Marvellous
