CLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 The Cavs head back to Indiana on Tuesday to face a depleted Pacers team. Tipoff at 7 p.m. Eastern.<\/p>\n
For Thomas Bryant, it\u2019s a homecoming of sorts \u2014 the last regular-season visit to Gainbridge Fieldhouse this year, and the one where he\u2019ll face the team that gave him his first true taste of playoff basketball.<\/p>\n
The Pacers are a shadow of the squad Bryant left behind. At 6-30, they\u2019re near the bottom of the league, and a miraculous turnaround into a play-in spot feels all but impossible. Yet, Cleveland can\u2019t afford to look past them. <\/p>\n
Even a depleted Indiana roster has enough tools to exploit the Cavs if they slip. Chief among them: pace and physicality. <\/p>\n
Indiana ranks 11th in the NBA in pace, with Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith leading a backcourt that can push the tempo and challenge Cleveland\u2019s ball handlers. The blueprint has been heard around the league<\/a> \u2014 get the Cavs scrambling in transition and force mistakes.<\/p>\n For the Cavs, the absence of Donovan Mitchell (rest) will test that blueprint. Even without their superstar, the Cavs\u2019 depth, veteran savvy and the presence of Bryant \u2014 who knows Indiana\u2019s tendencies inside and out \u2014 should be enough to handle this version of the Pacers.<\/p>\n Tuesday is a chance for the Cavs to stack wins, continue building consistency and for them to prove that no matter the opponent or the circumstances, they\u2019re locked in on the task at hand.<\/p>\n