The NBA has released the schedule for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ second-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers. Exact times have yet to be announced, but the series will begin on Sunday, May 4.
- Game 1 in Cleveland, Sunday, May 4
- Game 2 in Cleveland, Tuesday, May 6
- Game 3 in Indiana, Friday, May 9
- Game 4 in Indiana, Sunday, May 11
- Game 5 in Cleveland (if necessary), Tuesday, May 13
- Game 6 in Indiana (if necessary), Thursday, May 15
- Game 7 in Cleveland (if necessary), Sunday, May 18
The second round will be more of a gauntlet than the first. Not only will the Cavaliers play a stronger opponent in the Pacers – but they’ll be going almost every other day. This means limited rest outside of the two days off between games 2 and 3. Their only opportunity for multiple days off would be between games 6 and 7. Let’s hope it doesn’t even come to that.
Darius Garland, who missed Games 3 and 4 in Miami, will have 10 full days of rest before the Cavaliers begin round two. Hopefully, this is enough time for him to recover from a great toe injury that was re-aggravated against the Heat.
The Cavs swept their first-round opponent with ease. The Miami Heat found themselves on the wrong end of a historic beatdown. Cleveland will want to repeat as much of that performance as possible.
Indiana will be much tougher, however. They dispatched Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. The Pacers finished the regular season as a top-10 offense and the 13th-ranked defense. Cleveland will feel confident they hold an advantage over the Pacers but that doesn’t mean they can show up and be handed a series win. They’ll have to earn it.
