LeBron James’ streak of 21 straight wins in the first round of the playoffs is over thanks to a Herculean effort by Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers in Cleveland last Saturday.
The Cavaliers look to even their series against the Pacers and rebound from an embarrassing performance in their postseason opener.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
| time | fav | line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening 15 Apr 11:20pm | IND | -8 -110 | O +209 -110 |
| Closing 18 Apr 11:54am | IND | -7.5 -110 | O +212.5 -115 |
The Cavs got blown off the court early and never recovered from the 19-point, first quarter deficit. LeBron James did LeBron James things (24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds) but his supporting cast no-showed in Game 1.
It was the first time the Cavs have lost a game in the first round of the playoffs since 2010. Cleveland is hoping the playoff zig-zag theory will work in its favor on Wednesday night. Home teams coming off a loss in Game 1 win outright 78 percent of the time in the NBA playoffs, according to ESPN’s Kevin Pelton.
Bettors should expect the Cavaliers to put up plenty more points on the board this time out. Indiana held Cleveland, the fifth-highest scoring team in the league, to 80 points and 38.5 percent shooting from the field. It registers as the second lowest point total in a game this season for the club.
The Pacers are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games overall and the under is 3-1 in their last four. Indiana is now 4-1 straight up and ATS versus Cleveland since the start of the campaign.
Indiana is still the underdog to win the series (+200) with Cleveland listed as a -294 favourite on the Sports Interaction NBA futures board.
Indiana Pacers
Oladipo (32 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals) was the main story for the Pacers in Game 1 but there were many standout performances from the supporting cast as well. Big man Myles Turner shot 6-for-9 from the field and added eight rebounds to go with 16 points. Cleveland needs Kevin Love to win that matchup for it to have any chance of getting out of the first round.
Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s pretty clear Cleveland coach Ty Lue doesn’t know what his best five-man lineup is at the moment. The Cavs reshaped their roster at the trade deadline and Lue sat out nine games from the sidelines to deal with a health scare. It’s fair to say he’s still trying to figure out who are the four best players to surround James with during crunch time.
Injuries
Joe Young (PG)
Bojan Bogdanovic (SF)
Thaddeus Young (PF)
Trevor Booker (PF)
Myles Turner (C)
TJ Leaf (PF)
Darren Collison (PG)
Lance Stephenson (SG)
Domantas Sabonis (C)
Victor Oladipo (SG)
JR Smith (SG)
George Hill (PG)
Rodney Hood (SG)
Kyle Korver (SG)
Tristan Thompson (C)
Jose Calderon (PG)
Jeff Green (SF)
Larry Nance Jr. (PF)
Cedi Osman (SF)
LeBron James (SF)
Injuries
| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Young (PG) | Ques Fri | Illness - 19 / 04 / 18 | 4-1 | 1-4 | + - |
|
Young has missed the last two games due to a sinus infection and it is uncertain if he will play against the Cavaliers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first round. |
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| Bojan Bogdanovic (SF) | Out Tues | Rest - 10 / 04 / 18 | 6-2 | 2-6 | + - |
|
Bogdanovic will sit out Tuesday's game against the Hornets so that he can receive a day's rest. |
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| Thaddeus Young (PF) | Out Tues | Rest - 10 / 04 / 18 | 6-2 | 2-6 | + - |
|
Young will not suit up against the Hornets on Tuesday as he will be given the day off to rest. |
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| Trevor Booker (PF) | Prob Sun | Ankle - 28 / 03 / 18 | 11-4 | 6-9 | + - |
|
Booker was held out of the last game due to a sprained right ankle but is expected to be available against the Clippers on Sunday. |
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| Myles Turner (C) | Prob Mon | Ankle - 15 / 03 / 18 | 14-7 | 7-14 | + - |
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Turner missed the last game with a left high-ankle sprain but is likely to play against the Lakers on Monday. |
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| TJ Leaf (PF) | Prob Fri | Calf - 07 / 02 / 18 | 23-11 | 10-24 | + - |
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Leaf has missed the past three games with left calf soreness but is expected to be available against the Hawks on Friday. |
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| Darren Collison (PG) | Prob Fri | Knee - 05 / 02 / 18 | 24-11 | 10-25 | + - |
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Collison is recovering from arthroscopic left knee surgery but is expected to return Friday against the Hawks. |
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| Lance Stephenson (SG) | Prob Wed | Thigh - 30 / 01 / 18 | 25-13 | 12-26 | + - |
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Stephenson is dealing with a sore right thigh but is likely to play against the Grizzlies on Wednesday. |
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| Domantas Sabonis (C) | Prob Sun | Shoulder - 14 / 01 / 18 | 30-17 | 14-32-1 | + - |
|
Sabonis is expected to play against the Suns on Sunday despite a sore left shoulder. |
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| Victor Oladipo (SG) | Prob Sat | Knee - 27 / 12 / 17 | 32-23 | 17-37-1 | + - |
|
Oladipo has missed the last four games with a sore right knee but is expected to return against the Bulls on Saturday. |
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| player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JR Smith (SG) | Ques Mon | Illness - 06 / 05 / 18 | 7-6 | 6-7 | + - |
|
Smith is ailing from an illness and it is unknown if he will play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Raptors. |
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| George Hill (PG) | Prob Tues | Back - 01 / 05 / 18 | 8-7 | 8-7 | + - |
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Hill is nursing back soreness but is expected to suit up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Raptors. |
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| Rodney Hood (SG) | Prob Wed | Personal - 18 / 04 / 18 | 9-12 | 9-12 | + - |
|
Hood is likely to suit up against the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round despite a personal matter. |
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| Kyle Korver (SG) | Prob Wed | Illness - 16 / 04 / 18 | 9-12 | 9-12 | + - |
|
Korver is dealing with an illness but is expected to play against the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round. |
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| Tristan Thompson (C) | Prob Sun | Personal - 13 / 04 / 18 | 9-13 | 9-13 | + - |
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Thompson is away from the team due to the birth of his child but is expected to play against the Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round. |
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| Jose Calderon (PG) | Prob Mon | Hamstring - 05 / 04 / 18 | 12-14 | 12-14 | + - |
|
Calderon has sat out the last two games due to a sore left hamstring but is expected to be available for Monday's contest against the Knicks. |
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| Jeff Green (SF) | Prob Tues | Illness - 23 / 03 / 18 | 18-15 | 14-19 | + - |
|
Green sat out the last game with whooping cough but is likely to play Tuesday against the Heat. |
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| Larry Nance Jr. (PF) | Ques Fri | Hamstring - 14 / 03 / 18 | 20-18 | 18-20 | + - |
|
Nance Jr. has been held out of the previous four games with tightness in his right hamstring and it is unclear if he will return for Friday's matchup against the Suns. |
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| Cedi Osman (SF) | Prob Wed | Hip - 10 / 03 / 18 | 21-19 | 18-22 | + - |
|
Osman has been sidelined with a left hip strain but is likely to return against the Hornets on Wednesday. |
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| LeBron James (SF) | Prob Tues | Leg - 12 / 02 / 18 | 25-24 | 22-27 | + - |
|
James suffered a leg injury in the previous game but is expected to play Tuesday against the Thunder. |
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Pacers vs. Cavaliers Game 2 Prediction
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Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 15 Apr 11:20pm IND -8 -110 O +209 -110 Closing 18 Apr 11:54am IND -7.5 -110 O +212.5 -115 -
Injuries
Joe Young (PG)
Ques Fri Illness - 19 / 04 / 18Bojan Bogdanovic (SF)
Out Tues Rest - 10 / 04 / 18Thaddeus Young (PF)
Out Tues Rest - 10 / 04 / 18Trevor Booker (PF)
Prob Sun Ankle - 28 / 03 / 18Myles Turner (C)
Prob Mon Ankle - 15 / 03 / 18TJ Leaf (PF)
Prob Fri Calf - 07 / 02 / 18Darren Collison (PG)
Prob Fri Knee - 05 / 02 / 18Lance Stephenson (SG)
Prob Wed Thigh - 30 / 01 / 18Domantas Sabonis (C)
Prob Sun Shoulder - 14 / 01 / 18Victor Oladipo (SG)
Prob Sat Knee - 27 / 12 / 17JR Smith (SG)
Ques Mon Illness - 06 / 05 / 18George Hill (PG)
Prob Tues Back - 01 / 05 / 18Rodney Hood (SG)
Prob Wed Personal - 18 / 04 / 18Kyle Korver (SG)
Prob Wed Illness - 16 / 04 / 18Tristan Thompson (C)
Prob Sun Personal - 13 / 04 / 18Jose Calderon (PG)
Prob Mon Hamstring - 05 / 04 / 18Jeff Green (SF)
Prob Tues Illness - 23 / 03 / 18Larry Nance Jr. (PF)
Ques Fri Hamstring - 14 / 03 / 18Cedi Osman (SF)
Prob Wed Hip - 10 / 03 / 18LeBron James (SF)
Prob Tues Leg - 12 / 02 / 18Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Joe Young (PG) Ques Fri Illness - 19 / 04 / 18 4-1 1-4 + - Young has missed the last two games due to a sinus infection and it is uncertain if he will play against the Cavaliers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Bojan Bogdanovic (SF) Out Tues Rest - 10 / 04 / 18 6-2 2-6 + - Bogdanovic will sit out Tuesday's game against the Hornets so that he can receive a day's rest.
Thaddeus Young (PF) Out Tues Rest - 10 / 04 / 18 6-2 2-6 + - Young will not suit up against the Hornets on Tuesday as he will be given the day off to rest.
Trevor Booker (PF) Prob Sun Ankle - 28 / 03 / 18 11-4 6-9 + - Booker was held out of the last game due to a sprained right ankle but is expected to be available against the Clippers on Sunday.
Myles Turner (C) Prob Mon Ankle - 15 / 03 / 18 14-7 7-14 + - Turner missed the last game with a left high-ankle sprain but is likely to play against the Lakers on Monday.
TJ Leaf (PF) Prob Fri Calf - 07 / 02 / 18 23-11 10-24 + - Leaf has missed the past three games with left calf soreness but is expected to be available against the Hawks on Friday.
Darren Collison (PG) Prob Fri Knee - 05 / 02 / 18 24-11 10-25 + - Collison is recovering from arthroscopic left knee surgery but is expected to return Friday against the Hawks.
Lance Stephenson (SG) Prob Wed Thigh - 30 / 01 / 18 25-13 12-26 + - Stephenson is dealing with a sore right thigh but is likely to play against the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Domantas Sabonis (C) Prob Sun Shoulder - 14 / 01 / 18 30-17 14-32-1 + - Sabonis is expected to play against the Suns on Sunday despite a sore left shoulder.
Victor Oladipo (SG) Prob Sat Knee - 27 / 12 / 17 32-23 17-37-1 + - Oladipo has missed the last four games with a sore right knee but is expected to return against the Bulls on Saturday.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes JR Smith (SG) Ques Mon Illness - 06 / 05 / 18 7-6 6-7 + - Smith is ailing from an illness and it is unknown if he will play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Raptors.
George Hill (PG) Prob Tues Back - 01 / 05 / 18 8-7 8-7 + - Hill is nursing back soreness but is expected to suit up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Raptors.
Rodney Hood (SG) Prob Wed Personal - 18 / 04 / 18 9-12 9-12 + - Hood is likely to suit up against the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round despite a personal matter.
Kyle Korver (SG) Prob Wed Illness - 16 / 04 / 18 9-12 9-12 + - Korver is dealing with an illness but is expected to play against the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Tristan Thompson (C) Prob Sun Personal - 13 / 04 / 18 9-13 9-13 + - Thompson is away from the team due to the birth of his child but is expected to play against the Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Jose Calderon (PG) Prob Mon Hamstring - 05 / 04 / 18 12-14 12-14 + - Calderon has sat out the last two games due to a sore left hamstring but is expected to be available for Monday's contest against the Knicks.
Jeff Green (SF) Prob Tues Illness - 23 / 03 / 18 18-15 14-19 + - Green sat out the last game with whooping cough but is likely to play Tuesday against the Heat.
Larry Nance Jr. (PF) Ques Fri Hamstring - 14 / 03 / 18 20-18 18-20 + - Nance Jr. has been held out of the previous four games with tightness in his right hamstring and it is unclear if he will return for Friday's matchup against the Suns.
Cedi Osman (SF) Prob Wed Hip - 10 / 03 / 18 21-19 18-22 + - Osman has been sidelined with a left hip strain but is likely to return against the Hornets on Wednesday.
LeBron James (SF) Prob Tues Leg - 12 / 02 / 18 25-24 22-27 + - James suffered a leg injury in the previous game but is expected to play Tuesday against the Thunder.