VW'S NBA DO-OR-DIE MUST-WIN SHOWDOWN
- Handicapper
- Vegas Writer
- League
- NBA
- Competition
- Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Release Date
- 05/13/2025 12:04 PM
- Event Date
- 05/13/2025 07:07 PM
- Bet Type
- Point Spread
- Pick
-
Cleveland Cavaliers -7.5 (-110)
(DraftKings)
- Outcome
- Loss
- Analysis
- The entire basketball world is trying to figure out what’s gone wrong with the Cleveland Cavaliers in their Eastern Conference Playoffs second-round series with the Indiana Pacers. The subject is especially perplexing since the Cavaliers don't even understand how they’ve fallen into a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven set.
But with their backs against the wall, the Cavs will pull it together long enough and live to fight another day after winning Game 5 tonight in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers, who owned the best regular-season record in the East at 64-18 (second best in the NBA overall), put themselves in a deep hole after getting 20-pieced in Game 4 on Sunday in Indy. But let me remind you, they did manage to take Game 3 in Cleveland, winning 126-104 and covering as a five-point favorite.
Cleveland’s troubles begin with the fact that its only consistent threat to taking down the youthful Pacers, at least through the first three games, has been Donovan Mitchell. The six-time all-star averaged 41.3 points per game through the first three contests, but an annoying ankle injury and a poor shooting night saw him finish with only 12 points in limited action in Sunday’s loss.
Despite Mitchell being listed as a game-time decision, expect his supporting cast to step up tonight with their title hopes hanging in the balance. After all, as a team, they did lead the league in scoring during the regular season with 121.9 ppg.
Meanwhile, Indiana is really feeling itself after winning seven of its nine postseason games so far, even though four of those victories came against a depleted Milwaukee Bucks squad in the opening round. Where this matchup is concerned, however, it had only won 6 of its last 12 on the road prior to that while covering the spread just four times.
These teams have now met eight times this season, with the home team losing six of them and covering the spread just once. It’s no doubt time for those trends to come to an abrupt end.
In the end, the heavily-favored Cavaliers will look more like their old selves and will stave off elimination with a decisive win and cover at home, with Game 6 set for Thursday back in Indiana.
