The crippled Cavaliers played without Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and DeAndre Hunter, which handicapped them but they don't grade basketball games on a curve, and the Pacers return home to Indianapolis for games three and four with a two games to none lead.
Max Strus finished with twenty-three points and Jarrett Allen with twenty-two, supporting Cleveland.
Swashbucklings
1) Donovan Mitchell is a warrior.
He left everything he had on the floor, and I'm unsure of his game two status, considering the pounding he took during this game.
2) Mitchell wasn't perfect; he's still struggling from three, hitting only one of seven attempts.
It's hard to criticize Mitchell, considering the game he played, but his game becomes much more effective when more of those shots from the distances drop.
3) I wasn't sure whether to tip my cap or be angry at Tyrese Haliburton for his "marbles" strut after drilling the game-winner a la Tanaka in Major League 2.
4) Ty Jerome played twenty-eight minutes, shooting one for fourteen from the floor.
Jerome had a fine season, but he's not the type of player who flourishes with more than fifteen to eighteen minutes.
Currently, he's forced to log higher minutes, and his deficiencies are showing.
5) Speaking of forced, Cleveland was also forced to give too many minutes to players who are afraid/ineffective in shooting the ball.
Dean Wade did grab ten rebounds in his thirty minutes, but scored three points on three shots.
Isaac Okoro scored five points and took two shots.
Indiana knows these guys don't want to shoot and aren't worried about them.
6) If you circle one play, it's Tyrese Haliburton's missed free throw.
Haliburton misses, charges the boards, grabs his own rebound, and takes it back to prepare for his game-winner.
Grab that rebound, Cleveland wins.
7) Cleveland did receive 23 points from Max Strus, who had a good game until his lousy pass caused a late turnover, and was given 14 points from Sam Merrill, who hit four three-pointers.
8) What concerns me is how Indiana is beating up the Cavaliers.
I'm not blaming the referees, I'm blaming the team for not standing up to the Pacers, and it's too late to bring someone in.
Jarrett Allen might be too nice, and outside of the washed-up Tristan Thompson, there is no one on the bench to push someone around.
Koby Altman has created a fun team to watch and one that is filled with players who are fun to root for, but that may not be a championship team without someone to bang around and take no quarter from opponents.
I'm not sure how Cleveland adds a player of that type, but they need one in the worst way.
9) Cleveland trails two games to none, so they must split in Indiana to avoid a sweep and have hope for a series win.
Which of Garland, Mobley, and Hunter can play in game three?
They need at least two of the three, I think.
Win game three and hope is back, lose it and it will be a long off-season in Cleveland.
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