Pacers expecting Cavs' 'best punch' in Game 3

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Pacers know they have an opportunity to take total control of their second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Friday night.




But they expect to get the Cavs' best shot at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.




"This is the team who is the No. 1 seed for a reason. It's probably really rare that they've lost two games in a row. I doubt they've lost three games in a row all year," said guard Tyrese Haliburton.




The Pacers star is half right. He was correct in that the Cavs rarely lost back-to-back games during the regular season. It happened only twice: a pair of back-to-back losses in November and a string of games in March.




But Cleveland did lose three in a row-actually, four in a row. It happened during a brutal stretch from March 16 through March 21, when the Cavs played four times in six days. It started with a home loss and continued with three road setbacks.




"We're going to see a desperate team, a team who's coming in here to win two games [to even the series]," Haliburton said.




"Honestly, we should be desperate, too, we should be just as desperate to protect home court and take care of home court the right way, because mathematically, if we take care of home court, we win the series."




Reserve guard TJ McConnell understands the importance of Game 3. Even with a 2-0 series lead, things can change quickly.




"It's far from over. It's a really big game coming up. We have to go into it like it's zero-zero," McConnell said. "We have to be extremely hungry. We know we're going to get their best punch, and we have to punch back."




Center Myles Turner said his mind was on making sure his team puts its best effort on the court.




"We have to worry about the Pacers," Turner said. "You can't necessarily put much thought into, you know, Cleveland basketball. You've gotta worry about us and getting ourselves sharp and ready."

Haliburton's injury

Haliburton injured his left wrist in Game 2. He had X-rays at halftime and came back with a wrap on his left arm.




After the injury, he was seen flexing his fingers and looked generally uncomfortable. He said he'll be good to go for Game 3.




"I'll be fine for the game. So, I'm all good," he said.




Physical play is part of the NBA's postseason. That means more holding, grabbing and jockeying for position. It can also slow down the offense.




"The playoffs call for more physicality," Haliburton said. "I think it's just human nature. All these games are really close as well, and down the stretch of games, the game gets slowed down. You want to get the best shot available every possession."

Wearing down other teams

The Pacers tend to live up to their name on offense, pushing the pace and driving other teams toward exhaustion. With their focus on mental and physical conditioning, plus a deep bench, they have a lot left in the tank late when their opponent is running on fumes.




That's by design.




"Our identity is how fast we play," Haliburton said.




The Pacers try to wear other teams down. They want to make it tough to hang with them for 48 minutes. It's why they're able to come back from large deficits and make key plays in the fourth quarter, as they did in Game 5 against the Bucks and Game 2 against the Cavs.




"You've got to play to exhaustion, and that's what we're trying to do," McConnell said.

Carlisle's keys to the game

Game 3 isn't a chance for the Pacers to close out the Cavaliers, but it is an opportunity to put an enormous amount of pressure on the Eastern Conference's top team. A 3-0 deficit would be crushing.




Coach Rick Carlisle thinks the Cavs will be at full strength and anticipates the return of key players Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter. Garland hasn't played in the series, while Mobley and Hunter suffered injuries in Game 1.




All three are listed as questionable for Friday's game.




For Carlisle, the formula is simple. The Pacers must rebound, respond better to pressure defense and contain Donovan Mitchell. Executing the formula, on the other hand, is a challenge.




The Pacers turned the ball over 18 times in Game 2. They held a narrow edge in rebounding (44 to 43), but it felt like, especially in the first three quarters, that Cleveland got too many second-chance opportunities with offensive rebounds.




And as for containing Donovan Mitchell, good luck. He followed a 33-point performance in Game 1 with a 48-point effort in Game 2.




Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson has been vocal about the officiating in the series. Carlisle pushed back against that, pointing out that the Pacers have been whistled for nine more fouls in the series while the Cavs have attempted nine more free throws.




"We're not expecting any gifts from the referees. I don't think we got any in either of the first two games. I know they disagreed with some calls. It's all part of it," he said.




And it's crucial, in Carlisle's view, for the Pacers to play with urgency.




"We've just got to do our very best to maintain the kind of edge you gotta have heading into the third game when you've won a couple."

Friday Gold Out

Friday's game will mark another Gold Out at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Each fan in attendance will receive a gold t-shirt emblazoned with the words "Boom Baby!"




It's the signature call of a Pacers legend, the late coach and broadcaster Bobby "Slick" Leonard.




The Pacers will again wear their City Edition uniforms at home.




They've been very good at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the postseason. This year, they're 3-0 at home. They're 9-2 in home games during the past two postseasons.




During the regular season, the Pacers posted a 29-11 home record.




The tip time for Friday's game is 7:30 p.m. ESPN will carry the national TV broadcast.



via: https://fox59.com/sports/pacers/pacers-expecting-cavs-best-punch-in-game-3/