Cavaliers vs Pacers NBA Pick: Cleveland Looks To Even Series At 1-1 (May 6)

• The top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers look to level the series at one game apiece.
• Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers seek to steal another road win.
• These squads last played on May 4, with the Pacers claiming a nine-point victory.

One of the games on Tuesday’s NBA slate features the Cleveland Cavaliers hosting the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of a second-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Will Cleveland respond or go down 0-2 in our Cavaliers vs Pacers pick?

Cavaliers-Pacers Game 1 Recap

The Cavaliers cruised into the second round following a 4-0 sweep against the Miami Heat. But despite the lopsided series victory, the Pacers landed the first punch, defeating Cleveland 121-112 in Game 1 of this conference semifinal series.

Donovan Mitchell was the headline performer for Cleveland. He scored 33 points, collected five rebounds, and handed out four assists. However, he shot 13-for-30 overall and missed 10 of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc.

Evan Mobley’s double-double included 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ty Jerome led the second unit with 21 points.

On the other side of the matchup, the Pacers’ offense placed all five starters in double figures. Andrew Nembhard led the way with 23 points and six assists on 70 percent shooting from the floor, and a 5-for-6 effort from 3-point range.

Tyrese Haliburton added 22 points, 13 assists, and three blocks. Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith contributed 17 points apiece.

Cleveland rallied to take a 102-101 lead in the fourth quarter. However, Haliburton’s second 3-pointer of the night sparked a 15-4 burst that enabled the Pacers to pull off the Game 1 upset.

Cavaliers vs Pacers Pick: Will Cleveland Level The Series At 1-1?

Despite being handed their first postseason loss, the Cavaliers enter this matchup as a huge 9.5-point favorite, according to BetOnline. Here are a few betting trends for both sides looking ahead to Game 2.

• The Cavaliers are 4-1 straight-up (SU) in their last five games.
• Cleveland is 6-3 against the spread in its previous nine outings.
• The Pacers are 6-1 against the Cavaliers in the previous seven matchups between these franchises.
• Indiana is 6-1 ATS in its previous seven road contests against Cleveland.

Give Indiana credit. They gave the Cavs all they could handle in the opener, holding them to their second-worst 3-point conversion rate of the season (23.7 percent). But now that the Cavaliers have a better understanding of their opponent, they will respond accordingly and even the series at one game apiece.