The Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing to take on the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of their series tonight after dropping Game 1, 98-80.
It was the first time in eight years that the Cavs lost a first-round game and the first time ever LeBron James lost a Game 1 in the opening round, and James their lackluster performance could be blamed on the many mid-season trades the Cavs made.
"I think we spent so much time trying to figure out who we were in the regular season and getting the right lineups and guys in and out and things of that nature, we could never build for the playoffs," James said. "It was kind of like, build for the next game. So the postseason finally hit us and it hit us very well. And I think that can be the best teacher for us to know exactly what we should be ready for tonight."
Cleveland used 29 different starting lineups during the regular season, and head coach Tyronn Lue discussed making another lineup change for tonight's Game 1.
"We're looking at it but I'm not going to talk about it," Lue said Monday. "We've been talking about it as a staff."
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Offense was a major struggle for the Cavs in Game 1. James, who had 24 of the starting lineup's 49 points, was the only starter to scored in double-figures as Cleveland shot just 38.5 percent from the floor in the game - including a terrible 8/34 (23.5 percent) from three-point range.
Meanwhile, JR Smith chipped in 15 points off the bench and both he and Tristan Thompson, who played in just two minutes in Game 1, could be back in the starting lineup.
Game 2 is set to tip off tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
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