Preview: Cavaliers at Pacers

[November 16, 2016]  The Cleveland Cavaliers can set the record for their best 11-game start in franchise history when they hit the road to take on the Central Division-rival Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. LeBron James fell a rebound shy of a triple-double as the Cavaliers outlasted Toronto 121-117 on Tuesday to equal the 9-1 record they built in 1976-77 before losing the next contest.

Cleveland has won three straight, scored at least 100 points in nine of its 10 contests and drained at least 10 from 3-point range in every game this season while enjoying the Eastern Conference’s best record. The Pacers snapped a two-game slide with a solid 88-69 victory over Orlando on Monday as five players scored in double figures, led by C.J. Miles with 16 off the bench. Leading scorer Paul George returned after a one-game absence to score 13 and dish out five assists while Indiana held the Magic to 32.1 percent from the field – the type of number it would love to post again against Cleveland. “It’s kind of a game where you measure yourself,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan told reporters. “They’re considered the best in the world right now and, for us, it’s a good opportunity to see where we are.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Indiana

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (9-1): James collected 28 points, leading five players with at least 15, to go along with 14 assists and nine rebounds on Tuesday and Cleveland shot 53 percent from the field. Channing Frye has drained 11 shots from 3-point range while averaging 20.5 points in the last two games and Kyrie Irving scored 25.3 per game in the last four. Center Tristan Thompson made 7-of-8 from the field Tuesday, notching his third double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and forward Kevin Love owns five straight double-doubles and seven overall.

ABOUT THE PACERS (5-6): George, who is averaging 21 points, told reporters of his sore left ankle after Monday’s victory, “It’s not 100 percent right now, but there’s no concern of hurting it more.” Guard Rodney Stuckey (hamstring), who has not played since Oct. 28, ran Monday and could be closing in on a return that would add depth. Myles Turner is second in scoring (14.6) and is grabbing a team-high seven rebounds per contest while key offseason acquisition point guard Jeff Teague is shooting just 37.6 percent from the field, but leads the Pacers with 6.3 assists per game.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Indiana G Monta Ellis is averaging 15.7 points over the last three contests, draining 18-of-31 from inside the 3-point arc in that span.

2. Cleveland G J.R. Smith (ankle) has missed two consecutive games, but could be ready to return Wednesday.

3. The Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak against the Cavaliers on April 6 last season.

PREDICTION: Cavaliers 110, Pacers 98

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