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The Cleveland Cavaliers will face off against the Indiana Pacers in an NBA 2021-22 preseason game at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday. Both teams will look to grab a win in this game to close out their preseason campaign on a high.
The Cavaliers are coming into this game after a narrow one-point defeat against the in-form Chicago Bulls. Meanwhile, the Pacers edged past the Memphis Grizzlies 109-107 win on Wednesday. In the first preseason game between the two teams on October 10, the Pacers emerged victorious 109-100.
Match Details
Fixture: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers | NBA preseason 2021-22.
Date & Time: Friday, October 15; 7:00 PM ET (Saturday, October 16; 4:30 AM ET).
Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN.
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers have not had a great preseason campaign thus far, winning just one of their four games. Despite putting up a good showing against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, the Cavs succumbed to a 102-101 loss.
Lauri Markannen starred in the game, scoring 18 points and blocking three shots. He looked impressive, shooting 8-14 from the field. The Cavs will hope for similar performances from the Finnish international during the regular season.
Cavs rookie Evan Mobley also had an impressive game against the Pacers. The center scored 15 points and grabbed ten rebounds on the night. He also had three blocks that made things difficult for the Bulls. If he continues to put up similar performances, he could be in the running to win the Rookie of the Year honor.
The Cavaliers had a forgetful campaign last year, finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference. They will hope for a much better performance this year, as they have recruited some interesting prospects from the draft.
The preseason has given coach JB Bickerstaff a clear picture of what would be an ideal lineup for the Cavs in the regular season. He will hope to see the Cavs pull out a win over the Pacers and end the preseason on a high.
Key Player - Collin Sexton
Collin Sexton is one of the most exciting young players in the NBA. He had a stunning year last season, averaging 24.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 4.4 APG on an impressive 47.5 % shooting from the field.
Sexton will hope to put up similar performances this year and lead the way for the Cavs into the playoffs. The preseason has given him the perfect chance to prepare for the competitive regular-season campaign. He will hope to score big against the Pacers, and lead his team to victory on the final day of the preseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
G - Collin Sexton; G - Darius Garland; F - Isaac Okoro; F - Lauri Markannen; C - Evan Mobley.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers are coming into this game off an impressive 109-107 win over the in-form Grizzlies. Domantas Sabonis starred in the game with a double-double. He scored 24 points and secured 13 rebounds while shooting at 52.6% from the field.
Another Pacers player who had an impressive night was Chris Duarte. The young guard scored 21 points on 50 % shooting from the field. He left his mark all over the game, grabbing two steals and a block on the night. Isaiah Jackson and Myles Turner were also key in the team's win on Wednesday.
The Pacers ended last season as the ninth seed in the East. However, they had a lot of injury problems that hampered their chances of reaching the playoffs. This season, the Pacers will be determined to make it to the postseason. With Myles Turner back, they have a certified shot blocker. However, if they want to succeed, they will also need big performances from the other players on their roster.
Key Player - Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis had an amazing year individually during the 2020-21 season, averaging 20.3 PPG, 12.0 RPG and 6.7 APG while shooting 53.5 % from the field. However, his brilliance was not enough to lead the Pacers into the playoffs. With a new coach, the Pacers will look for better returns this season.
Sabonis has looked extremely good in the preseason. He will look to put up another big performance for the Pacers to end the preseason on a high.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
G - TJ McConnell; G - Chris Duarte; F - Jeremy Lamb; F - Domantas Sabonis; C - Myles Turner.
Cavaliers vs Pacers Match Prediction
The Cavaliers have not been in great form this preseason. However, they will look to close out their campaign on a high, and could come out all guns blazing on Friday.
They have the likes of Mobley, Sexton and Garland who are capable of putting up big numbers on a nightly basis. If these players have a great night, the Cavs could beat the Pacers.
Where to watch the Cavaliers vs Pacers game?
Streaming for NBA preseason games is available on the official NBA app. A subscription to this app will give you access to all NBA preseason and regular-season games. The Cavaliers vs Pacers game will also be telecast on Bally Sports Indiana.
