Since Jan. 1, Cavs are 35-14; Pacers 34-14

The Cavaliers and Pacers are more than second-round playoff opponents. They’re two of the top teams in the entire NBA since the start of 2025.

The difference, of course, is that the Cavs did it for an entire season. The Pacers, on the other hand, rebounded nicely after a rocky start.

Now, they meet in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series on Sunday at Rocket Arena (6 p.m., EST).

Since Jan. 1, the Cavs went 35-14 to finish 64-18. In that same span, the Pacers went 34-14 to finish 50-32. 

Most NBA insiders fittingly predict that things in this series could be tight.

“Both teams want to push the pace, and this series could be decided by which offense establishes itself as more dominant,” wrote ESPN’s Jamal Collier.

As of this writing, it remains to be seen if Cavs All-Star point guard Darius Garland (toe) will play in Game 1. They won both of the final two games of the first round against Miami incredibly easily without him — but the Pacers bring a whole new world of challenges. 

Most of those start with point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who sets the tone for Indiana and keeps things moving.

“Indy comes into this series as the more experienced team, advancing deeper in last year’s playoffs than most of the core members of the Cavs,” Collier wrote. “And the Pacers will go as far as Haliburton takes them. He’s already produced some big playoff moments in the past two years — besting the Knicks at Madison Square Garden last season and sending the Milwaukee Bucks home in Game 5 of this season’s first round with a game-winning layup.

“… If Haliburton gets comfortable, starts spreading the floor and forcing Cleveland’s bigs to the perimeter, the Pacers can get the Cavs into some uncomfortable positions.”