CLEVELAND—Victor Oladipo scored 32 points and the Indiana Pacers held off Cleveland’s second-half rally for a stunning 98-80 victory Sunday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series, handing LeBron James and the Cavaliers’ their first loss in the opening round in eight years.

Indiana was in control from the outset, opening a 21-point lead in the first quarter and leading by 23 in the third. The Cavs stormed back and got within seven, but Oladipo hit a big 3-pointer and Bojan Bogdanovic helped put Cleveland away with a 3 to make it 88-71.

The Pacers completely outplayed the three-time defending conference champions, whose turbulent regular season has carried over into the playoffs.

Game 2 is Wednesday night.

James scored 24 with 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his 20th career triple-double. But James got little help as Cleveland’s four other starters — Kevin Love, Jeff Green, Rodney Hood and George Hill — combined for 25 points.

This is all new to James, who had won 21 consecutive first-round games and lost a post-season opener for the first time in his 13th playoffs. The 33-year-old is trying to get to his eighth straight Finals, and already the path is tougher than imagined.

Cleveland had won 14 straight first-round games, last losing on April 22, 2010, the last season of James’ first stint with the Cavs.

Indiana was swept by Cleveland in last year’s opening round. Those Pacers, though, didn’t have Oladipo or the balance of this Indy squad, which may lack experience but not confidence.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN...

Lance Stephenson, a longtime playoff nemesis for James, helped set the tone in the first quarter with a dunk he punctuated by throwing several punches into the padded basket stanchion.

The Pacers took the fight to the Cavs. They were more physical, more energetic and more composed.

Oladipo has become one of the NBA’s rising stars, and after being a role player in Oklahoma City, he’s Indiana’s main attraction and looked like a seasoned star on the playoff stage. He made six 3-pointers, swiped the ball from James on two occasions and more than doubled his previous playoff scored high of 15.

The Cavs fell behind 33-12 during a strange first quarter that included Cleveland missing all eight 3-pointers, James not attempting his first field goal until 1:52 remained and fans in Quicken Loans Arena wondering what they were seeing.

Get more sports in your inbox Get the Star's Sports Headlines newsletter for a daily round-up of the latest big news. Sign Up Now

As he does for every post-season, James shuts down all social media activities, a routine he calls Zero Dark 23 Mode. And this time, he began it Saturday by posting a quote on Instagram from Martin Luther King Jr: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.”

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN...

The Pacers drove him into a darker place.

Read more about: </s> For the second year in a row, the Cavaliers and Pacers are facing off in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but the result this time around might be different. The Pacers dominated Cleveland in a Game 1 stunner that left everybody shocked at the 98-80 final score.

This promises to be an interesting series. The Cavaliers have struggled to play consistent basketball all season and this is the first time a LeBron James-led team has dropped the opening game of the opening series. The Pacers, on the other hand, have been one of the NBA's biggest surprises. Led by Victor Oladipo, they shocked everybody with their prolific offense and high energy.

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (50-32) vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers (48-34)

Last season's playoff results: Cavaliers were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in NBA Finals; Pacers were swept by the Cavaliers in the first round

Injury report: Rodney Hood returned from an Achilles injury in Game 1.

The Cavaliers win if they flip the switch. They've been an up-and-down team all season, but they finished the season with flashes of who they want to be come postseason time. Larry Nance Jr. gives them a lot of versatility off the bench and is a game-changer for them. However, none of this matters if they can't flip the switch and look like the team everybody expects them to be. That will depend on LeBron James.

The Pacers can win this series if the Cavaliers' D doesn't improve in the playoffs. Cleveland has been one of the NBA's worst defensive teams this season and ranks 29th in defensive efficiency. The Pacers have a fast-paced offense that can exploit the Cavs in a hurry. They're an average defensive team, though, so they'll need to outscore the Cavs to have a chance.

According to SportsLine data scientist Stephen Oh, the Cavaliers have a 50 percent chance to win the conference and an 11.1 percent chance to win it all. Meanwhile, the Pacers have a 2.4 chance of winning the conference and 1.0 percent chance to reach the Finals. SportsLine will have game-by-game gambling advice for every playoff series here. </s> The Eastern Conference playoffs, for the last eight seasons, have revolved around one player, LeBron James. And with good reason: James has been on the Eastern Conference champ in every postseason since 2011. He will face his toughest challenge, though, this spring, trying to lead a roster that was rebuilt on the fly with a series of deadline-day trades back in February, and doing so under the specter of his looming free agency.

James only got better as the rest of the roster got more scrambled — in 28 games after the trades, he averaged 29.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 10.1 assists. The Pacers went 3-1 against the Cavs during the season, giving them at least the sense that beating Cleveland is not impossible. But with a highly motivated James on board, the Cavs are sure to be a different team in the postseason, just as they were down the stretch of the season.

There was no bigger game this year for both the Pacers and breakout star Victor Oladipo than the win over the Cavaliers back on Dec. 8, a game in which Oladipo signified that his outstanding first month was not a fluke, finishing with 33 points, eight rebounds and five assists while shooting 6-for-13 from the 3-point line.

But Oladipo was a much more average player after the All-Star break this season, dropping in scoring (from 24.4 points before the break to 20.3 after), rebounds (5.3 to 4.9) and shooting (48.4 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from the 3-point line to 46.0 percent and 34.2). If the Pacers have a shot at an upset, Oladipo — who is nursing a foot injury — will need to look like his first-half self.

109.5. Thank goodness for the Suns — they’re the only team that ranked worse defensively than the Cavaliers this year, whose defensive rating was an ungodly 109.5. Minnesota (108.4) is the only other playoff team that had a defensive rating that was not among the top 16 in the NBA. The Pacers are not a juggernaut, but they’re the 12th-rated offensive team in the league, and Indiana will test Cleveland’s scattershot defense all series.

It’s hard to imagine this being a total Cavaliers romp, not against an Indiana team that has surprised all year with its resilience. But it’s also hard to figure how the Pacers will slow down James from night to night, and he should be able to break through enough to push Cleveland to four wins here. </s> CLEVELAND– Round 1 of the NBA playoffs kicked off for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers.

The Cavs were out of sorts to start, missing allof their 3-pointers in the first quarter. That paired with the Pacers 14-point run put Cleveland in a double-digit deficit.

LeBron James didn’t attempt a shot until there were under 2 minutes left in the first. The Cavs trailed Indiana 14-33 to end the quarter.

In the second, the Cavaliers started to turn it around. George Hill put up a 3 and the Cavs went on a 7-0 run.

Game 2 of the series is Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Q.

More stories on the Cleveland Cavaliers here </s> Playoff LeBron is here. The King has a knack for taking things to another level during the postseason, and we'll see if he can do it once again this year.

For the second year in a row, the Cavaliers and Pacers will be facing off against each other in the Eastern Conference playoffs. And shockingly, it was the Pacers that didn't know which team they would be playing until the Cavaliers lost to the Knicks in the final game of the season, putting the Cavs in the fourth seed.

This an interesting matchup. The Cavaliers have struggled to play consistent basketball all season and this will be the first time a LeBron James-led team finishes as a No. 4 seed since 2008. The Pacers, on the other hand, have been one of the NBA's biggest surprises. Led by Victor Oladipo, they shocked everybody with their prolific offense and high energy.

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (50-32) vs. No. 5 Indiana Pacers (48-34)

Last season's playoff results: Cavaliers were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in NBA Finals; Pacers were swept by the Cavaliers in the first round

Injury report: Rodney Hood missed the Cavaliers final two games with an Achilles injury, but he's expected to return for the playoffs.

The Cavaliers win if they flip the switch. They've been an up-and-down team all season, but they finished the season with flashes of who they want to be come postseason time. Larry Nance Jr. gives them a lot of versatility off the bench and is a game-changer for them. However, none of this matters if they can't flip the switch and look like the team everybody expects them to be. That will depend on LeBron James.

The Pacers can win this series if the Cavaliers' D doesn't improve in the playoffs. Cleveland has been one of the NBA's worst defensive teams this season and ranks 29th in defensive efficiency. The Pacers have a fast-paced offense that can exploit the Cavs in a hurry. They're an average defensive team, though, so they'll need to outscore the Cavs to have a chance.

According to SportsLine data scientist Stephen Oh, the Cavaliers have a 50 percent chance to win the conference and an 11.1 percent chance to win it all. Meanwhile, the Pacers have a 2.4 chance of winning the conference and 1.0 percent chance to reach the Finals. SportsLine will have game-by-game gambling advice for every playoff series here. </s> The Cleveland Cavaliers got their playoff campaign off to a shaky start against the Indiana Pacers, losing Game 1, 98-80, marking the first time LeBron James had lost a first round game since 2012.

Despite the lackluster effort on thier home floor, James insists that there is no time for panic.

"I'm down 0-1 in the first round. I was down 3-1 in the Finals," he said post-game.

"I'm the last guy to ask about how you're going to feel the next couple of days."

While the Cavs defense has been the glaring issue heading into the playoffs, today they couldn't seem to get going offensively either.

As a team, they shot just 8-of-33 (23.5%) from the three-point line, and just 38.5% from the field. While LeBron did his thing, posting his 20th post-season triple-double, no other Cavs starter scored in double figures and Jeff Green, Kyle Korver, Jordan Clarkson and Jose Calderon combined to shoot just 1-for-17.

There's no situation LeBron hasn't seen in the post-season, but this upstart Pacers unit is definitely not to be underestimated.

After dropping a hame-high 32 points, Victor Oladipo said he had a little extra motivation, explaining that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert's comments about the off-season trade for Paul George had added some fire to his game.

The Pacers won three of their four games against the Cavs this season and after stealing home court, anything is possible. </s> The Golden State Warriors need one win to sweep LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers and win their third NBA Championship in the last four years.

This is it. A win in Game 4 of the 2018 NBA Finals and the Golden State Warriors will win their third NBA Championship in the last four years — all of them against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The possible final basketball game of the 2017-2018 season will live stream on Friday. But the game, if Cleveland cannot hold off the Golden State sweep, could also be the last game in Cleveland for the 33-year-old James, according to CBS Sports.

To find out how to watch a live stream of the 2018 NBA Finals Game 4, see the streaming information at the bottom of this article. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, June 8. In the Pacific Time Zone, the live stream will get underway at 6 p.m.

James becomes a free agent after this, his fourth season in his second stint with his hometown Cavaliers, and according to Sports Illustrated, the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat appear to be the most likely destinations for the “King.” He may also choose to sign a new contract with Cleveland when all is said and done, SI reported.

After dropping Game 3 by a 110-102 score, despite playing on their home court, the Cavaliers now face a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 deficit, a hole that no NBA team has ever dug its way out from, as the Boston Globe recounted. In fact, only three teams in NBA history have ever forced a Game 7 after dropping the first three in a seven-game playoff series.

James said that the Cavaliers winning Game 4 and maintaining at least a chance to stage a historic comeback, the team will need to play smarter than in the first three games, according to ESPN.

“We’ve been in a position where we could win two out of these three games. So what do we have to do? Do we have to make more shots? Is it we have to have our minds into it a little bit more?” James wondered in an interview on Thursday.

Watch a preview of The Warriors vs. Cavaliers Game 4 in the video below.

To watch a free live stream of the potentially series-ending Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals Game 4 showdown, use the stream provided by to ESPN3, the no-charge, online-only network of the sports media giant ESPN. The ESPN3 streaming network is available automatically with almost any internet service provider subscription.

There is also another way for fans to watch the fourth and potentially final game of the 2018 NBA Finals using a free live stream — but without a cable subscription. Fans may sign up for a free trial of one of the “over the top” streaming TV packages, such as Sling TV, or YouTube TV, or DirecTV Now. All of those services require credit card information and will charge subscription fees. But they each offer a seven-day free trial period, and if the subscription is canceled prior to the expiration of that week-long trial, fans can watch the Warriors vs. Cavaliers Game 4 stream live for free on Friday. </s> The Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-120 to win their second NBA Championship in three seasons with a 4-1 finals series victory.

The Warriors, who beat Cleveland in the 2015 finals only to lose to them in 2016 after squandering a 3-1 series lead, went a record-setting 15 victories and just one loss in the playoffs.

Kevin Durant led the way for the Warriors with 39 points, with Stephen Curry contributing 34. </s> The Cleveland Cavaliers are in an unfavorable position. Game 4 of the NBA Finals is an all-or-nothing situation in Cleveland. The Golden State Warriors, however, look for history. The Warriors will look to be the only team to sweep LeBron James in an NBA Finals series since the 2006-2007 San Antonio Spurs.

The Cavaliers organization is preparing for their toughest test in Game 4. Down 0-3, the team’s gameplan must be a near-perfect solution to the Warriors’ puzzle. Head coach Tyronne Lue feels that they are ready to keep their championship hopes alive, and likes their chances.

After receiving some help, James is preparing to lay it all on the line for a win in this series. Leading the team in points, assists and steals in the postseason, he will need another legendary performance to push the series one game longer.

Firstly, the Cavs must limit their turnover rate, having 14 to Golden State’s 11 in Game 3. They dominated Golden State in Game 3 in offensive rebounds, bagging 15, with 32 defensive rebounds.

Secondly for Cleveland, if they can avoid the third-quarter rush from Golden State and weather the storm, they could have success tonight. Across the previous three games, the third quarter has been the team’s weakness, giving up more points to Golden State than any other quarter. In Game 3, the Cavs would give up 31 points, giving Golden State the lead that they never took back.

The final key for Cleveland will be to play unbreakable defense. The team would shut down Stephen Curry from behind the line, keeping him at bay with a 1-for-10 three-point ratio. If the team can shut down the team’s best shooter, and avoid another 43-point performance from Kevin Durant, the Cavs may very well secure a victory at home tonight.

Golden State is riding a wave of confidence and momentum right back into Cleveland. After the video game-like performance of Durant, they look to develop an iron-clad gameplan against a desperate Cleveland team looking to secure a W.

Firstly for the Warriors, making more field goals than they did in Game 3 will be critical. Going 42-for-81 in Game 3, their 51.9 percent must improve, as Cleveland was only eight percent lower.

The long game for Golden State will also come in the form of Curry. Dubbed “the best shooter in the NBA”, he cannot get shut down behind the arc.After breaking the NBA Finals record for triples, Cleveland locked him down. The lack of production in Game 3 could contribute to the Cavs being within striking distance of the win.

Durant believes that Golden State knows exactly what to do in order to cash-in on another championship ring for the bay.

Curry is preparing to have the performance of a lifetime in Game 4. His third championship in four years will hanging in the balance in Cleveland.

In potentially the final game of the NBA season, the Cavs look to get their first win and build momentum. Tipoff for the clash is at 9 p.m., and the game will take place at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers will look to take the series to Oakland for Game 5.

Finally, ESPN 98.1 FM – 850 AM WRUF will have coverage of the battle beginning at 8 p.m.
The Indiana Pacers defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98–80 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series in Cleveland, snapping LeBron James' personal streak of 21 consecutive wins in the first round.