Cavaliers-Pacers (Pacers Lead 2-1)
You know what you’re getting out of LeBron James and that’s where good things end for the Cavaliers. Everyone else comes with a big risk, even at a low salary. Kevin Love might be better at some point, but the injury issues seem to be a real thing. And at his salary, you can’t afford another bust. No one else on Cleveland is going to break the bank, but all of them could potentially be dead money. On the other hand, one of them will have a big game. But finding that one isn’t exactly easy. J.R. Smith is my pick for Game 4, which means it’ll be Rodney Hood who has the big game.
Victor Oladipo and Darren Collison were misses in Game 3, with Collison turning out to be a bust. Oladipo is steady and reliable. I expect Collison to bounce back. Bojan Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young are to role players who have proven to be solid contributors all season and into the playoffs.
Myles Turner has high potential, but at his salary, there’s not a ton to like.
Lance Stephenson is going to have a big game in this series. Playing at home with a chance to go up 3-1 on LeBron James? It definitely feels like this is the game Lance Stephenson puts his stamp on.