It is not that they were not all warned, but to some extent no one could imagine that the Indiana Pacers would begin the semifinals of the Conference being being better than the Cleveland Cavaliers and knocked out for 112-121. It was an exercise of illusion and talent by the boys of Rick Carlisle, one in which the choral game, the template depth and the confidence in its own style shone above the 64 victories in regular season of Ohio’s, who played almost all the time to tow of an opponent who has put on alert the entire NBA and that throws a question: are they candidates?
Indiana, embroidering ‘his basketball’
These paers do not take into account which team in front. Carlisle has built a team that is all imprisonment, confidence and without a doubt irreverent. Being playoffs and playing on the court of the best team of the year in the East they did not shape a special plan, but they launched and launch at a basket at a dizzying pace, one that Cleveland could only face for a couple of minutes throughout the night. And if something was missing, they were very successful. A 19 of 36 in triples, with special mention for Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith, summarizes what happened on the parquet.
Nembhard’s smile
Now you see me, you don’t see me now. Indiana’s execution speed overflowed the cavs and, incidentally, reminded us how great Andrew Nembhard is. It is not the team’s star, nor the second sword, but a boy who makes spectacularly what gives the points in basketball: throw in a basket.
Without fuss or need to face any rival, Nembhard (23 points) ended the attacks with a smile, the one that marked at all times the game of some paers who began winning and that knew how to resist when Cleveland seemed to turn around the game temperature.
That’s how it is. If Indiana won by 12 points mediated the third quarter, those of Atkinson rose to the point that in five minutes they were those who dominated for four goals … Maybe some feared that Indiana’s plan was jumping through the air, but did not happen. Tyrese Haliburton (22 points and 13 assists) took command, transferred calm to his boys, resumed the pulse to the game and sentenced him in an excellent last quarter.
What is more than clear to be heights is that the Pacers are a choral team and with many components prepared for the first battle line. Last night they had six pieces in double scoring figures and Carlisle rotated with up to 11 players.
The Knights, to impulses
Cleveland gave a strange sensation in the first game against Indiana. After seeing them play the whole campaign, they were expected to start sending the parquet, but it was quickly seen that they were not comfortable; So much so that his party was based on impulses and an Evan Mobley (20 points and 10 rebounds) that it was a constant threat to Indiana. What happens? That is not enough at this point in the film.
Despite being clear that the painting was the weak point of the Pacers (they dominated 70-38), the continuous errors in the shots with a Donovan Mitchell that signed a 1 of 11 in triples, ended up condemning them on a night that ended up in short circuit. Lighter: the faces in the last quarter were to understand what was happening.
Obviously they are still favorites, but they are already notified. Indiana has hit everything to alert the entire NBA and now the spotlights focus on checking if the cavaliers are able to recover to what would be a huge surprise – for the majority.
Outstanding players
These were the best players in the game.
Tyrese Haliburton
Calm, handling, talent, IQ … The base of the Pacers is all that any team would want to keep the command of a game. Last night he signed a double-double of 22 points and 13 assists to which he added 3 rebounds and 3 caps. It does everything, and all good.
Evan Mobley
The inner player of the Cavaliers was the most regular piece of the team. It was fantastic in the shot with a 9 of 13 (2 of 5 in triples) to reach 20 points and complete the double-double with 10 rebounds. It is the figure on which the series must base.
Andrew Nembhard
What a player the Pacers have! It is not that he does not get nervous, he plays as if he were in the courtyard of his house. 23 points to be the top scorer of Indiana with a spectacular 5 of 6 in triples. Huge your performance
Party statistics
- 70 points in Cleveland’s painting. Taking advantage of the debatable application of Myles Turner and the allergy of Pascal Siakam, the Cavaliers made ‘pupa’ to the Pacers in the painting with up to 70 points by 38 of their rival.
- 19 triples of Indiana. The dolls worked at full performance in the Pacers to overcome by 19 to 9 in three -point releases to those of Ohio.
- Pacers survive 17 losses. And thanks to how much they scored, those of Rick Carlisle did not end up paying expensive to lose up to 17 balls in the game.
(Photography by Ken Blaze-Imagn images)
