On Friday, the four-seed Indiana Pacers will host the one-seed Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and we have you ready to go with our game three Cavaliers vs. Pacers prediction. The NBA Eastern Conference showdown starts at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Indiana took games one and two of the playoff series and won three of four regular-season games (2-2 against the spread) against Cleveland. The Pacers lead the series 7-3 straight-up (6-4 ATS) over the last ten matchups. The over was 7-3 in those games. If you want the Cavs vs. Pacers prediction, read on and check out our NBA Predictions to beat the sportsbooks!
About the Author: Mike Briggs
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Cavaliers must show resiliency in game three
Cleveland (64-18 SU, 48-33-1 ATS, and 51-31 O/U during the regular season) swept Miami in its first-round series. The Cavaliers are 6-4 SU and ATS in their last ten games.
Cleveland fumbled away game two at home, as they led by seven with just over a minute remaining, but couldn't close. The Cavs built a 20-point lead by scoring 56 points in the paint and 30 at the charity stripe, but shot 43 percent overall and 28 percent from three-point distance. SG Donovan Mitchell scored 48 points, but Cleveland was without three key players in PF Evan Mobley, SF De'Andre Hunter, and PG Darius Garland.
The Louisville product Mitchell averaged 24.0 points with 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per contest during the regular season. A few other Cavaliers to watch against the Pacers are Mobley (18.5 PPG and 9.3 RPG), Hunter (17.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG), and C Jarrett Allen (13.5 PPG and 9.7 RPG).
Cleveland ranks third in the NBA in adjusted NET rating, including first in offensive rating and ninth in defensive rating, per Dunks and Threes. The Cavs scored 123.5 points per game (1st) on 49.1 percent shooting (2nd) during the regular season, while their opponents averaged 113.8 points per game (14th) on 45.4 percent shooting (3rd).
Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball Injury Report: Mobley (ankle), Hunter (thumb), and Garland (toe) are questionable to play against Indiana.
Can Indiana pull off a third straight upset win?
Indiana (50-32 SU, 36-45-1 ATS, and 43-36-3 O/U during the regular season) beat Milwaukee in five games in the first round. The Pacers are 8-2 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last ten games.
Indy scored another upset win on the road in game two, as PG Tyrese Haliburton stole the show with a game-winning three-pointer just before the final buzzer. The Pacers shot 51 percent from the field and 39 percent from long range, and outscored Cleveland 36-21 in the fourth quarter.
PF Pascal Siakam leads Indiana in scoring, averaging 20.2 points with 6.9 rebounds per game. A few other Pacers to watch against the Cavaliers are Haliburton (18.6 PPG and 9.2 APG), SG Bennedict Mathurin (16.1 PPG and 5.3 RPG), and C Myles Turner (15.6 PPG and 6.5 RPG).
Indiana ranks 12th in the NBA in adjusted NET rating, including 9th in offensive rating and 16th in defensive rating, per Dunks and Threes. The Pacers scored 118.8 points per game (7th) on 48.8 percent shooting (3rd) during the regular season, while their opponents averaged 116.6 points per game (20th) on 47.4 percent shooting (23rd).
Indiana Pacers Basketball Injury Report: No new injuries for Friday's playoff game against Cleveland.
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The over is 2-0 in this series and 4-1 in the last five matchups between these squads. The Cavs and Pacers prefer high-tempo action, ranking sixth (Indiana) and tenth (Cleveland) in pace, and a change of venue won't make a difference. The injury to the Defensive Player of the Year, Mobley, certainly impacts the visitors' ability to deter the Pacers' scoring efforts, as he missed game two and will likely be limited if he suits up for game three. On the other end of the court, Indiana will contend with a hungry Cavaliers squad that bullied them for points in the paint and trips to the foul line last game. I don't expect much to change in that department, either.
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