2018 NBA Playoffs Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers, SWOT Analysis & Prediction

Opportunities and Threats

Victor Oladipo and LeBron James

The series pits one of the best 3-point shooting teams against one which is pretty good at stopping the 3 and I can't help but think this will be a deciding factor in the series. As mentioned before, the Cavs really live and die by the 3 now and if Indiana can slow them down, they then stand a chance.

Another trend we've seen this season is the turnovers shooting up for LeBron ( apart from the Toronto game). He's currently 4th in the NBA in turnovers and will be up against a team which forces a lot of them. If James gets careless with the ball like he has at times this season, Indiana will cash in.

Meanwhile, one area apart from 3 point shooting where the Cavs have a clear edge is bench scoring. Cleveland is 6th in bench scoring while the Pacers are tied for 22nd. They already lack a proper scoring threat apart from Oladipo and if the bench cannot match their counterparts in production, the Pacers won't last long.

As for James, he'll undoubtedly take advantage of the lack of rim protection without Turner. Even when he's in the game, Cleveland will be playing Love at the 5, forcing Turner out to the 3 point line. It will spell trouble for Indiana.