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It’s over. It wasn’t supposed to end, and it sure as heck wasn’t supposed to end like this. In his postgame comments, Donovan Mitchell said they let the city down. Individually, probably not. For all of Mitchell’s flaws, his talent and character are someone you can (and should) absolutely get behind. But collectively, yes, this team simply did not perform to their capabilities and lost in ways that’s hard to comprehend and has potential to change this core’s trajectory. Kenny Atkinson said the next jump is being better mentally and being able to handle physicality better. If the coaching staff has been echoing that for three postseason exits now, what needs to change? What can change? It’s been three postseasons now where shooting has...

Game 5 could be the last game of the 2024-25 season if the Cavs can’t respond in a big way. Nothing we’ve seen in this series suggests the Cavs are capable on winning three games in a row against Indiana, a team that is 41-16 in calendar year 2025 and appears to be faster, stronger, more physical, healthier, and more skilled than the beat-up and floundering Cavaliers. The Cavs are coming off the worst half of basketball in the history of the playoffs. No team has ever been outscored by 41 points in a half until now. The Cavs knew Indy would be coming out hard and physical after getting beat by 22 in Game 3, and they were not able to match it. They dominated us in every facet of the game…We knew it was coming. You try to prepare for...

That loss was so bad it eliminated any sense, or necessity, for a proper game recap. Only the Cavs could somehow make the Game 2 loss pale in comparison to another loss in the same series. In a game the Cavs needed, they seemed content, and unresponsiveness, if letting the game and their season slip away. Coming off a strong Game 3 loss and being at home, everyone figured the Pacers would come out aggressive… everyone except the Cavs. A 12-5 run forced a Kenny Atkinson time out early and while the Cavs had it to a two-possession game, it quickly built… and built… and built (or they punched.. and punched… and punched) and the Cavs seemed content to take it and did little to stop it. The Cavs were on the other end of a Cavalanche and got...

Game 4 and the Cavs have a chance to tie the series and regain home court advantage, although HCA no longer seems to matter much. Just ask the Celtics. In fact, all four home teams lost the first game of their series in the semis. The problem for the Pacers is twofold. One, they got hammered on the glass. They were outscored 31-9 on second chance points and a 22-point deficit is tough to make up. Throw in 13 turnovers and the Cavs had 100 field goal attempts to 80 for the Pacers; a shocking disparity. The Pacers will surely be focused on reducing turnovers and getting more defensive rebounds as they can’t win when taking 20 fewer shots. The Pacers are a fast break team so when the Cavs take a shot they tend to leak out, or at least...

Cleveland, there will be another game at home. Postgame, the sentiment was consistent throughout the locker room: We still have work to do, it’s just one game. But, that one game said a lot about this team and gave them some breathing room as they look to climb back into the series. The story is the return of the Cavalary: Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter. The three missed Game 2, with Garland missed four straight playoff games while Hunter and Mobley just one. They all returned with varying levels of effectiveness. Garland started out looking spry but ended the game looking like he aggravated the same toe injury that has kept him sidelined for two plus weeks. Against a team like the Pacers who challenge point-of-attack...

The series shifts to Indiana with the Pacers up 2-0 after two shocking wins in Cleveland. The first loss was a combination of extremely bad 3-point shooting by the Cavs (24%) and the best 3-point shooting of the year by the Pacers (53%). The second was the combination of a massive choke job by the Cavs, non-calls by the referees in the final minute on lane violations that led to 5 points for the Pacers, and injuries to three key Cavs players that forced them to miss the game entirely. Not to mention Ty Jerome going 1-for-14 when 2-for-14 would have won the game. Yeah, I’m pointing fingers. Jerome has had an amazing season but that performance was inexcusable. To be fair, the Pacers were extremely well-prepared for his tricks. In the...

Pain. Shock. Awe. Disbelieve. Disappointed. Saddened. Horrified. Any adjective will do, and it would be correct. There are the seven stages of grief that Cleveland fans are all too accustomed to. It’s possible an eight stage may have been created after the game. Not this team. Not this season. Not like this. To see the Cavs season slip away on a Tyrese Haliburton step-back three after an offensive rebound in which the Cavs didn’t score in the final minute after going up 119-112 in a game, they needed was like watching your own funeral. Losing any playoff game hurts. But losing a game you had to have, and did have, within the context of the situation and with the uphill battle that is now facing the Cavs is even more painful. It’s a...

After a surprising if not shocking loss in Game 1 the pressure is squarely on the Cavs and Kenny Atkinson to even the series Tuesday night. According to Chris Fedor, injuries may be an issue for the Cavs. They already were in Game 1 with Garland being out. Now there could be more. It was about the injuries — multiple — that suddenly loom over this best-of-seven series. All-Star point guard Darius Garland missed his third straight game because of a sprained big toe on his left foot that will likely plague him for the remainder of the playoffs. De’Andre Hunter briefly left the floor in the second half following a hard fall… Evan Mobley rolled his ankle on an awkward landing at one point and was walking with a noticeable limp...

They often say it’s not a series until a team win ones on the road. Well, we must have a series then after Game 1. After breezing through round one and not losing a game, the Cavs are going to have to work for an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. And if Game 1 is any preview of what’s to come, the Pacers are going to give the Cavs their best shot and must clean up both ends. Let’s start with the elephant in the room: The Cavs could have undoubtedly used their All-Star point guard, especially late, but they also didn’t lose the game because he didn’t play. They lost the game because they lost the three-point line battle, and they simply did not play with the type of energy and communication on defense needed to win at a high level...