Pacers looking for a win along with some inspiration against the Cavaliers.
The Indiana Pacers (15-14) take a quick roadie to Cleveland on Friday night when they play the Cavaliers (18-11) in the first game of a four-game season series between the Central Division rivals.
The Cavs are off to a solid start to the season after quickly incorporating Donovan Mitchell as the team’s leading scoring, playing alongside local legend Darius Garland to form one of the most dynamic backcourts in the league.
The Pacers have looked to the Cavs as an example of a quick rebuild around great young talent and that backcourt is also a great blueprint for the impact Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin can have going forward. But tonight, the young Pacers guards will have to continue their stellar play to give the Pacers a chance for a quality road win.
Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen also give the Cavs a long, active front court which will likely move Jalen Smith back into the starting lineup at power forward after the Pacers started smaller in the past two games.
DraftKings Odds: Cavaliers -8, O/U 223 (latest DraftKings odds here)
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
TV: Bally Sports Indiana/Bally Sports + app
Radio: 93.5 FM/107.5 FM
Projected Starting Lineups:
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Buddy Hield, Jalen Smith, Myles Turner
Cavaliers: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Lamar Stevens, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
IND: Kendall Brown – out (right tibia stress reaction), Chris Duarte – out (G League assignment), Daniel Theis – out (right knee surgery)
CLE: Ricky Rubio – out (ACL surgery), Dean Wade – out (left shoulder sprain), Dylan Windler – out (right ankle sprain)
Please share your thoughts and observations on the game in the comments.