NBA Playoffs 2024/25, Round 2, Game 3, Saturday, May 10, 2025, 1:30 a.m.
How annoying, just a few hours before the start of the game, the message fluttered onto my cell phone display that Evan Mobley would miss Game 2.
The good news is that almost all betting providers with Apple Pay will cancel your bet if the player in question is not on the floor.
In my Pacers Cavaliers tip for Game 3, I’m going to try my luck with a classic handicap bet this time
What a crazy game in the NBA playoffs! The Indiana Pacers fought back in Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers when all seemed lost.
Trailing by 20 points, an outstanding Donovan Mitchell with 48 points on the other side – and yet Tyrese Haliburton found the answer in the decisive seconds.
His three-pointer to win 120:119 in the final moments of the game was the perfect counterpoint to the Cavs fans’ repeated cries of “overrated”. Indiana now leads 2-0
The Pacers showed exactly the mental toughness you’d expect from a championship contender.
Despite the poor start and the subsequent injury to Haliburton’s left hand in the second half, they kept finding ways to stay in the game.
Aaron Nesmith’s aggressive offensive rebound and dunk after Pascal Siakam’s missed free throw with 48 seconds to play and trailing by seven points was just as decisive as Haliburton’s ice-cold three-pointer from downtown shortly before the final buzzer sounded.
On the other hand, Cleveland will have to wonder how they let this game slip away. I mean, seriously?
Donovan Mitchell turned in an absolute masterful performance, but without Evan Mobley (Defensive Player of the Year), De’Andre Hunter and Darius Garland, there was just a lack of depth.
Ty Jerome’s weak 1/14 from the field and only two points off the bench were a real problem. That you can’t win against the Pacers with performances like that was evident in the decisive moments.
Now Indiana – as already mentioned – is sensationally well placed at 2-0 in the series, while Cleveland faces a huge challenge.
Heads up: Only five teams in NBA history have ever won a series after losing the first two home games.
The Cavs now need to win at least one game in Indianapolis to make the series halfway exciting again.
But it will be a daunting task against these Pacers, who just proved they can still emerge victorious from seemingly hopeless situations.
Pascal Siakam’s role will be particularly interesting in the coming games. After a weak game with only eight shot attempts, he will have to take on more responsibility to take the pressure off Haliburton.
The Cavs need to finally get more offense from other players besides Mitchell, especially if Garland is missing beyond Game 2.
One thing is for sure: this series has just really picked up speed, and Game 3 in Indianapolis promises to be another thrilling game of basketball at the highest level.
The Pacers have landed the first big blow, but the Cavaliers will do everything they can to fight back.
In terms of a promising Pacers Cavaliers betting tip, I would primarily bet on a 3:0 after games and thus “Indiana win” at odds of around 2.10.
The momentum is clearly on their side, and without several key players, Cleveland might lack the necessary belief in themselves to actually get back into this series.
I can also get excited about the player bet “Haliburton +20 points”, which currently promises odds of around 1.92 on the Betano app.
A so-called “double-double of the number 0” at odds of around 1.80 also has a probability of 70% in my eyes.
Conclusion: The problem that the Cavaliers now have is not only a personnel problem, but also a mental one.
Cleveland will keep in mind that even a 20-point lead was not enough to bring their opponents to their knees – and now they have to play away from home?
It’s quite possible that the “Cavs” – deprived of some key players – will throw in the towel prematurely in Game 3, at least mentally …
My tip: Victory Pacers with HC +3.5
