Cleveland vs Indiana Prediction: the Cavaliers are At Their Peak

Caris LeVert was traded from Indiana to Cleveland last season, and it will be interesting to see how he performs against his former team. The Cavaliers haven't been very consistent lately - will they snap their two-win streak for the first time in two weeks?

The Cavaliers have been alternating wins and losses lately, winning 3 of their previous six games. The coach tries to get the team back on track and sometimes takes more drastic measures. For example, J.B. Bickerstaff has recently taken Jedi Osman out of the rotation, who was one of the club's best shooters. Cleveland has added on defense, although he's been perfect for the season. Kevin Love is back from injury while Dean Wade is still in the infirmary, so the shortage of a big throwing man should no longer be felt as acutely as it was. Donovan Mitchell is back in form after a slump, averaging 32.4 points on 54.4 percent shooting from the field over the past two weeks.

Mitchell was the centerpiece of the recent game against Dallas. Donovan scored 34 points and made six 3-pointers in Cleveland's 105-90 win. All five Cavaliers players scored 12+ points, and Lamar Stevens unexpectedly came in second place. J.B. Bickerstaff's squad played almost perfect defense in the paint, although they could barely contain Doncic at times. Their opponent rarely scored from under the basket, while Cleveland only allowed two blocked shots per game.

Six losses in their last nine games have dropped Indiana to seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Despite his local setback against Miami (1 point, 0 of 9 from the field), Tyrese Haliburton is still one of the most effective point guards in the NBA, and Indiana's success wouldn't be possible without him. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin has slowed down after a strong start, but he's slowly regaining his footing. Andrew Nembhard has spared the regrets of losing Chris Duarte in some games, though the Pacers could use a better bench. Duarte, by the way, is about to return to the floor while he's getting in shape in the G-League.

Rick Carlisle's men have already beaten the reigning champions twice this regular season, with Haliburton missing one game. In the last game against Golden State, Tyrese earned 29 points, and Indiana won 126-119. The whole team played well:

Turner scored 8 of 11 from the field.

Brissett was offensively and defensively effective.

Maturin scored 2nd in scoring for the Pacers with 24 points.

Indiana lost the rebounding battle but converted more shots to compensate for their sluggishness under the basket.

Cleveland looked great against Dallas in their last game, and this opponent is weaker than the Mavericks on defense. Mitchell is in great shape, which could be the key to the Cavaliers' success. Yes, Indiana defeated Golden State recently, but their opponent was without two starting five players at once. The Pacers' defense still leaves much to be desired on the arc, and the offense could collapse if Haliburton doesn't get his game going. Tyrese recently struggled on defense and could do nothing, and now he will be just as much of a challenge. The Cavaliers have cut the rotation for a reason and emphasized defense, so it could come down to a blowout if Garland, Allen, or Mobley play. 

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