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One thing is clear through one game of this semifinal matchup between the Cavaliers and Pacers: Cleveland has its hands full with Tyrese Haliburton.
Indiana’s star point guard torched the Cavs on Sunday, scoring 22 points with 13 dimes on 9-of-15 shooting and 2-of-6 from 3-point land while the Pacers stole Game 1.
Haliburton’s combination of savvy, shooting and size is a unique problem for Cleveland, which lacks the perimeter defense to deal with such a player despite its gaudy 64 wins during the NBA regular season.
The Cavaliers threw out Max Strus, Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill in shifts at Haliburton to no avail.
The Pacers apparently targeted Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen in switches and the pick-and-roll over and over, putting the 6-foot-9 big man on an island near the 3-point line.
In 10.6 partial possessions with Allen on Haliburton, the Pacers scored a whopping 26 points, with Haliburton dropping 14 points and four assists and 6-of-9 shooting.
The status of Evan Mobley, who is questionable with an ankle injury for Tuesday’s game as of this writing, adds to the Cavs’ defensive problems.
With no or a hobbled Mobley on the back end, Allen is even more susceptible to Haliburton actions.
The Cavaliers are also hoping point guard Darius Garland, who missed Game 1 with a toe injury, will be ready to go.
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But Garland, at just 6-foot-1, won’t help with Haliburton when on the court.
Until Cleveland comes up with an answer, look for Haliburton to have the ball in his hands a ton, and fill up the box score once again in the process.
The play: Tyrese Haliburton Over 28.5 points + assists (-110, FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.