Tip-off: Saturday, 3:00 p.m. ET
Eastern Conference Playoffs – Round 1
Line: Cleveland -8.5, Total: N/A

Can the Cavs flip their mythical playoff switch in time for a Game 1 matchup with the Pacers?

Every year, the first round of the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoffs features at least two, and sometimes up to four, matchups that induce little excitement among the league’s fan base. That seems to be somewhat less true than usual this year, and the Cleveland vs. Indiana series that kicks off Saturday afternoon is an example of why, thanks to its storyline. Can LeBron James and a Cavs team that has struggled significantly in the second half of the season flip a switch now that it’s playoff time? Can Paul George, who has rarely looked like the player he was in his prime, return to the form that once had him among the league’s superstars? Will the James-George duels in this series live up to those of the Eastern Conference Finals showdowns between the two when James was in Miami? Soon enough we’ll have the answers to those questions, and perhaps also new perspectives on two of the game’s biggest names. Over the last five seasons, teams that have covered two straight games as a favorite (IND) are 29-60 ATS against teams coming off a home loss of 10 points or more. Then again, in the same timeframe, home teams that have gone over the total by at least 18 total points in their last three games (CLE) are 99-150 ATS in Saturday games. As of Thursday afternoon, Cleveland PG Kyrie Irving was listed as probable to play, Pacers PG Jeff Teague was probable, and Indiana C Al Jefferson and SG Glenn Robinson III were questionable. This being the playoffs, it’s probably safe to assume they’ll all be available.

George (23.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.6 SPG) was surrounded by rumors this season that, come next summer, he will bolt for the Los Angeles Lakers the moment he becomes a free agent. The fact that he often looked disinterested on the court this year didn’t really help things. Recently, though, with the Pacers’ playoff hopes on the line, he has looked more willing to carry this team. In the team’s regular series finale against the Hawks, he put up 32 points and 11 rebounds. He has been a beast in Indiana’s six April games, averaging 32.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.5 APG and 2.2 SPG. He averaged 27.3 PPG in last year’s postseason on 45.5% shooting and 41.9% three-point shooting. He’s joined by Teague (15.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.2 SPG), PF Thaddeus Young (11.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG) and second-year C Myles Turner (14.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.1 BPG) as the core of this squad. Of the three, Turner is the most likely to change a game. Take Wednesday night, for example, when he blocked six shots against the Hawks. He had 3.3 BPG in 28.1 MPG as a rookie in last year’s postseason. Teague is a veteran of the postseason, having averaged 13.3 PPG in 62 career playoff games, all as a member of the Hawks. Young hasn’t seen the postseason much in recent years; he put up 10.5 PPG for the Nets in their 2015 first round series.

In a staggering 199 career playoff games (ninth all-time), James (26.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.2 SPG) has averaged 28.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 6.8 APG. Those are pretty similar to his career regular season averages of 27.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 7.0 APG. He averaged 8.5 and 7.6 APG, respectively, in his last two postseasons with his talented supporting cast in Cleveland—up from 4.8 in his last year in his last postseason in Miami—so he is not shy about passing the ball in these big games. Expect nothing less than spectacular performances from him in these playoffs. PG Kyrie Irving (25.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.2 SPG) earned himself a similar big-game reputation with his heroics in last year’s Finals, and his handles will make it hard for Indiana to contain him on the perimeter. Last year he averaged 25.2 PPG in the playoffs after putting up 19.6 in the regular season; that increased usage extended throughout the regular season this year, so don’t expect an equivalent jump in production. The scrutiny that was put upon PF Kevin Love (19.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG) throughout each of the last two playoffs was quickly forgot after Cleveland won the title in June, but don’t be surprised by a third round of criticism if the Cavs struggle as a team. Love is only averaging 15.8 PPG, in his last 14 games, so he has not been a focal point of the offense in recent weeks. In addition to PF Channing Frye (9.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 40.9 3P%) and SG J.R. Smith (8.6 PPG, 1.0 SPG, 35.1 3P%), LeBron has SG Kyle Korver (10.7 PPG, 48.5 3P%) to kick the ball out to for three-pointers this year.