Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview- Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers

Advantages for each team

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers do not have many advantages heading into this match-up against the defending champions. It helps to have a 4-time All-Star and bonafide superstar named Paul George leading the way, but he can only do so much against a stacked Cavalier team that has as many weapons in their arsenal as a military combat officer.

In all seriousness, the greatest advantage on the Pacers side is the fact that they are playing the defending champions. Embracing the underdog status can help them play looser and more confidently. Lets face it, nobody expects Indiana to truly pull off this upset, but that’s where upsets are born. The Cavaliers haven’t looked like the greatest team in the NBA the last few weeks, so there is clearly a vulnerable spot to them. The Pacers just have 4 games to figure that out before they get sent home.

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Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland’s advantage is clear. It is their “Big 3” in Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, and Kevin Love. Each have the capability of scoring over 20 points a night and can make it look easy while doing it. Most teams, especially in the Eastern cConference, can’t matchup to their best three players.

Cleveland has also compiled a list of assets that can knock down threes at a high clip. The Cavaliers finished second in the league this past season in three point makes, and those threes were distributed nicely by LeBron and Kyrie. Whether it is J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver or Channing Frye, this team has snipers from every where that can shoot a team out of the gym. One simple lapse on defense from a player like Ellis or Stephenson from the Pacers can be detrimental in the game getting out of hand.