INDIANA PACERS (3-0) 98, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (1-2) 91, OT
at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
Friday
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Pacers outscored the Cavs, 14-7, in the extra session to win the Central Division battle on Friday.

But the Cavs had a golden opportunity to put the game away at the end of regulation. Rookie point guard Kyrie Irving had his best game as a pro, but missed a wide-open layup at the buzzer.

His miss left the score tied at 84 entering overtime.

Irving had 20 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Pacers forward Danny Granger was quiet during regulation, but smelled the victory in OT. He had nine of his game-high 22 points in overtime.

Anderson Varejao stepped up for the Cavs with 14 points and 13 rebounds. He took a hard fall on his back in the game when Pacers forward David West was slapped with a flagrant foul. Varejao will likely be sore on Saturday.

Small forward Omri Casspi continues to lose minutes and possibly standing to Alonzo Gee. Casspi had just four points and five rebounds. He's averaging 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in the first three games. That's not what the Cavs had in mind when they traded J.J. Hickson for him.

UP NEXT: Cavs host New Jersey at 6 p.m. Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Danny Granger (6-9, 228)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. David West (6-9, 240)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Roy Hibbert (7-2, 260)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Paul George (6-8, 215)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Darren Collison (6-0, 170)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Mychel Thompson, C Semih Erden
Pacers - F/C Jeff Foster, F/C Jeff Pendergraph
OFFICIALS
Bill Spooner, David Guthrie, Josh Tiven