The Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers are playing on the NBA schedule on Saturday and the game is live for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving at 7:30 pm ET from Quicken Loans Arena and the eastern conference matchup has the division rivals going at it after the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Pacers come into the game after a win against the Orlando Magic at home and they will next play against the Phoenix Suns on the road on Tuesday. The Cavaliers come in after a win against the Wizards and that was big for the team, as Washington had been one of the best teams in the east so far this season. The Cavs are back at .500 and they have been playing better together as the season has worn on and they will next play against the Bucks at home. James led the team with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and he has his team at 7-7 heading into the middle of December. The team is now ranked 10th in points per game and they are moving up on defense, now ranking at 15th in points allowed with just under 100 per game.
James is leading the Cavs with 25 points per game this season and the Pacers come in ranked fifth in points allowed, but 27th in points scored per game. Rodney Stuckey led the team in scoring against the Magic and this game will obviously be missing Paul George and Indy comes in at 7-9 on the season to start. The team is averaging 46 boards per game and they are second in the league, but they are 30th in assists per game and have been playing without numerous starters all season.
The Pacers are getting David West back and now the team has to worry about LeBron James, as he is heating up right now and is playing some great basketball. The Cavs were pushed around by the Pacers since James left for Miami, winning just two of 16 games in that time, but now that he is back things likely will change. The Cavaliers have only lost two times in the last 18 against the Pacers with James in the lineup and he has averaged nearly 30 points per game during that stretch.
James, Irving and Kevin Love are starting to get into more of a rhythm together and the Cavs should still be one of the best teams in the east even with the slow start. James has been the thorn in Indiana's side over the last two seasons while beating them in the playoffs and now they are in the same division. The Pacers are without Paul George after his tough injury and the Bulls are leading the central division for the time being while Derrick Rose has been in and out of the lineup.
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