Cavaliers make it 2-0 over Pacers

The result showed up in the box score with James and Irving combining for less than half of the Cavaliers' assists in Game 2.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) throws a pass in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.

Cleveland was led by their three-headed monster with Kyrie Irving scoring a game-high 37 points, Kevin Love's 27 and LeBron James' 25 points. Cavs lead by seven points after the first half of the game but the Pacers followed through the second half.

"His number was called right away (in the third quarter) and he had to be ready", James said. The Cavs are finding their groove.

"We have a chance to do something that we've all been wanting to do all season", James said.

The reigning National Basketball Association champions appeared to be cruising to a comfortable win after opening up an 18-point lead at the end of the third quarter in front of their home fans at the Quicken Loans Arena. I have to wonder if we'll notice when the Cavs turn it on, or if this is what they are satisfied with.

Game 3 is Thursday night.

For the second straight game, the Indiana Pacers nearly came back against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of their first-round series.

Paul George scored 32 and Jeff Teague 23 for IN, which showed more fight, but has a steep hill to climb to win the series. LeBron is 11-0 all-time in first round playoff series, and is halfway to making it 12-0. There was even a point in the game where Pacers head coach Nate McMillan can clearly be seen telling Stephenson to calm down.

The Indiana Pacers have lost two games to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a combined seven points in their first-round playoff series thus far.

Theresa May: We won't be doing television debates
The Prime Minister said Labour's economic policies would mean it is "ordinary working people who pay the price". But Mr Corbyn shot back: "If she's so proud of her record, why won't she debate it?"

He's gotta know at this point we need him to take it to the next level, and we'll continue to work with him.

"Kyrie had a big quarter and we went to a matchup trying to cool him off. And that was big". Additionally, they've kept the three-point line on lock, and the Cavs are just 3-of-13 from deep. The Cavaliers hold on to beat the Pacers, preventing a late collapse to protect their home court advantage.

"We know what's at stake", C.J. Miles said. "If they are going to play small like that than Kevin should dominate". Iman Shumpert, who sat the opener, replaced Smith and played 20 solid minutes.

Lue said he liked how Love attacked a mismatch.

However, the defending champions, following a pattern that began late in the regular season, almost gave away an 18-point lead in the 4th as the Pacers crawled within 4 in the final minute before Cleveland closed it out.

George is absolutely right about Stephenson's tendency to let his emotion get the best of him in the heat of battle.

While Indiana president Larry Bird has taken clear steps to improving his team's versatility and athleticism in recent years by dumping Roy HIbbert, moving on from David West, drafting Turner and trading for Young, all of that purposeful activity has still left his roster without reliable answers to Cleveland's well-balanced frontline.

Lance Stephenson has tried to be that guy, be an emotionally leader off the bench.

IN may be in too deep to make a comeback against LeBron, but how the team responds to this situation has big implications for the team even if the Pacers are facing certain elimination. He had missed the last dozen games due to a left calf strain suffered in practice.