LeBron James, Cavs sweep Pacers, advance to second round of National Basketball Association playoffs

The numbers are still poor, but the team sees improvement.

On Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers completed the sweep of the Indiana Pacers with a 106-102 victory. “Just going out and being aggressive, putting myself and my teammates in a position to be successful offensively and defensively, and it worked well for us”, James said.

“Early on in the third (quarter), I saw it getting out of hand”. I know we can score the basketball. They hang around in Indianapolis for a few days and ready themselves for Game 4, on April 23.

Although none of the wins were in dominant fashion, the Cavs showed toughness at home, holding on, despite late Pacers’ runs. One of them is IN, which is dead last at 115.9.

But the Cavaliers needed several big plays in the final two minutes in order to close out the Game 4 win and third straight first-round sweep since LeBron James’ return to Cleveland three summers ago.

Cleveland is a three-point favorite, via the betting odds at OddsShark.

IN has certainly had their opportunities to steal a game this series. On the afternoon, Cleveland shot just 41 percent from the floor, including 9-of-31 from long-range.

When the Cavs try on defense – see Game 7 vs. the Warriors a year ago – great things happen. So should there be any concern? Even as recently as game three on Friday saw IN control a game with a 26 point advantage, but just couldn’t hold on, leading the way for a Cavaliers comeback performance. “When he came to us, he was out of game shape”. Fortunately, the team’s stars will have plenty of time to rest with the Bucks and Raptors now tied at two games apiece.

Houston won despite an off night for superstar James Harden, who missed seven three-pointer in a row and shot only 5-of-16 overall from the floor.

“I think they’re pissed off that we allowed that game to get away and we should be”, coach Nate McMIllan said.

The Pacers had a chance to tie the game at 105-105 on their final possession, but Paul George’s jump shot missed badly.

IN got back into the game with a 7-0 spurt early in the in the fourth, then methodically continued chipping away at the lead until Thaddeus Young tied the score at 100 with a short jumper and broke the tie on a tip-in with 1:31 left.

However, it was at that point that the Pacers mounted their final comeback of the 2016-17 NBA Season, as C.J. Miles connected on a three-point field goal that started the 17-4 run. Problems on the offensive end led to breakdowns defensively.

In his career, LeBron is 12-0 in first-round playoff series. Trailing by 25 points at halftime, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue made adjustments and stuck with Deron Williams, Kyle Korver, Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert for much of the second half helping LeBron push the Pacers on the verge of elimination. Lance Stephenson was Indiana’s leading scorer with 22 points off the bench, while Myles Turner recorded 20 points and nine rebounds. While they await their next foe, they can at least plan the time and place. “We’re all competitors in here and we all believe in one another”. “We took another step forward tonight in this series”.