NBA Playoffs 2017, Cavaliers vs. Pacers: 3 takeaways from Game 3

Apr 20, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is guarded by Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (6) in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is guarded by Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (6) in game three of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Cavaliers looked dead in the water after the Indiana Pacers stormed out to a 26-point deficit Game 3. Then the King took over.

Game 3 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers started looked like the come-down game. It was that quasi-trap for the Cavs, who left Quicken Loans Arena with a 2-0 series lead, though the wins were wobbly. The Cavaliers barely survived two late onslaughts from the Pacers — the Cavs almost blew two fourth-quarter leads.

Game 3 had the makings of being the one game the Pacers broke through, blitzed the Cavs and got their lone win, before the Cavs woke up.

The Pacers led 74-49 after the first half, setting a franchise record for points in a half in the postseason. Everything worked on offense. The bench contributed 28 points in the first half, six points fewer than Game 1’s total and five points fewer than Game 2.

Lance Stephenson looked like the best guard on the Pacers. Myles Turner did this to Tristan Thompson. The second-year center was a terror defensively, altering shots at the rim and clogging the lane. The Pacers knocked down 10 3s, destroyed the Cavs’ defense on pick and roll and out-efforted and out-energied them.

Then the second half happened. The Cavs made their adjustments and the Pacers crumbled under the firepower of the defending champs. Here are three takeaways from the Cavs’ huge comeback win.

Takeaways

LeBron James, Iman Shumpert, Kyle Korver, Deron Williams and Channing Fry changed the game: Throughout the first half Turner was aggressive defensively, altering shots and helping at the rim. The Cavs were settling for 3s and weren’t penetrating with the same vigor we’ve come to expect from guys like Kyrie Irving and James. But in the second half, specifically the fourth quarter, the Cavs went shooter-heavy around LeBron, quadrupling down on 3-point-shooting and sliding Frye down to the five. The move pulled Turner from the paint to the 3-point-line. That opened up lanes for James to drive and either finish at the rim or kick out to Korver in the corner. And if Turner collapsed into the paint on a drive, Frye would be left open on the wing. The two combined for four 3s in the second half.

The five-man lineup played 10 minutes, scored 28 points on 9-16 shooting (4-8 from 3) and finished plus-9.

There is no switch, but there are adjustments: “Flipping the switch” will be the debated theme of the Cavs’ run to a championship. There is a vagueness of the switch — will it happen for a series, or a half, or a quarter, or never? We won’t know. But what we do know is the Cavs were able to adjust out of their self-destructive defense, which helped spark their comeback.

In the first half, the Cavs trapped the Pacers off pick-and-roll. The Pacers were quick to find an open man and they punished the Cavs for it with corner 3s and wide-open lanes to the basket.

But, in the third quarter, the Cavs switched everything off the pick-and-roll and only trapped George. They forced George to give up the ball and have another Pacer beat them. And, anytime Lance Stephenson has the ball a lot of times, failure always seems to outdo success.

All hail the King: It almost feels like a cop out to put James in a list of takeaways. He’s done what he’s done for 14 years, three titles and six straight trips to the Finals. But, understand the milestones he passed in Game 3 that doesn’t include a 26-point comeback. He passed Kobe Bryant in career postseason points and 3-pointers. He passed Wes Unseld for postseason rebounds. He added his 17th triple-double in the postseason, only 13 behind Magic Johnson for the most in NBA history.

Next: Nylon Calculus: On the Cavs and flipping the proverbial switch in the playoffs

LeBron James has spent the past 14 years building a resume that would warrant an all-time great spot in the pantheon of NBA history. Now we’re getting a first-hand look at the finished products of that building, as he continues to pass all-time great after all-time great in several categories. If James finishes as the best player of all time remains to be seen, but, damn, is it a treat to watch the King.