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Find out the scoop on the CAVS from award-winning sports writer Bob Finnan.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Game 67: Pacers at Cavs

INDIANA PACERS (41-26) 111, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (22-45) 90
Quicken Loans Arena
Monday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM), WFUN (970 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: This is unraveling quickly.

The Heat come into Wednesday's game riding a 23-game winning streak. The Cavs have now lost three in a row.

They face the possibility of facing the defending NBA champion Heat without Anderson Varejao, Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and possibly Marreese Speights.

In a real bonehead move, Speights grabbed Pacers forward Paul George around the neck and was ejected after a Flagrant-2 foul. He'll be fined for the ejection, and there's a slight chance he could be suspended by the commissioner. I don't think it was excessive enough to get suspended.

Now, you can see why I don't think he'll be back next year. The Cavs might want him to opt out of his deal.

Coach Byron Scott refused to say he was embarrassed after the game. Well, I was embarrassed enough for both of us.

He said they were just faced a better team (which is true) that jumped on them from the get-go (true that).

They are so much better than the Cavs. The Pacers' players have actually improved since the beginning of the season. They are also so well-coached.

They are now 3-0 vs. the Cavs this year. They came into the game with a 3 1/2-game lead on Chicago in the Central Division. They are now the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Forward Danny Granger is out of the lineup again with a sore left knee. The Pacers are getting to the point where they have to move on without him. They have a chance - albeit a small one - to unseat the Miami Heat in the East finals.

Forward Paul George is their go-to guy now. He's one of the most improved players in the NBA. 

The Cavs have now lost five in a row overall to the Pacers. However, the Cavs are 11-6 in their last 17 games vs. Indiana at The Q.

Including the Indiana game, the Cavs play four of their next five games at home.

Since Feb. 2, the Cavs are averaging 102.6 points per game, which is the second-highest in the East over that stretch. The reason they've not winning consistently continues to be their shoddy defense. They just don't stop people.

NEWS FEED: David West's back injury could keep him out of tonight's game.

LAST GAME: The Cavs lost at San Antonio on Saturday, 119-113. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs host Miami at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs.Paul George (6-9, 215)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. David West (6-9, 240)
C Tyler Zeller (7-0, 250) vs. Roy Hibbert (7-2, 280)
SG Dion Waiters (6-4, 221) vs. Lance Stephenson (6-6, 210)
PG Shaun Livingston (6-7, 175) vs. George Hills (6-2, 190)
INACTIVE LIST 
Cavs - C Anderson Varejao, F Kevin Jones, G Kyrie Irving 
Pacers - F Danny Granger, G Ben Hansbrough
OFFICIALS
Danny Crawford, Leroy Richardson, Eli Roe

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