Victor Oladipo Keyed The Pacers In A Blowout Win Over The Cavs To Force Game 7

After LeBron James knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the Cleveland Cavaliers to victory in Game 5, it appeared as if the defending Eastern Conference champions may finish off a series victory in Game 6 on Friday evening. In short, Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers had different ideas. Oladipo exploded for a triple-double (28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists) and, headlined by a dominant third quarter showing, keyed the underdogs in forcing a Game 7 with a 121-87 victory.

Despite a lights-out early shooting performance (6-of-9 in the opening minutes) from the Cavs, the Pacers quickly established control, and it was Oladipo setting the tone from the outset. The All-Star guard scored 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and contributed four steals in the first quarter, and after another solid stretch in the second period (including the rare sight of blood from James), the Pacers took a 10-point advantage into halftime.

That favorable margin was created thanks to a 120 offensive rating (and 55 percent shooting) prior to halftime, but the Pacers were just getting started. Indiana raced to a 14-4 opening run in the third quarter and never slowed down, making 57 percent of their shots (including seven three-pointers) and outscoring the Cavs by a 35-20 margin. At the end of the onslaught, the home team led by 25 points, and with only 12 minutes remaining, the result was virtually academic.

Though he had plenty of help in this particular contest, Oladipo was clearly the story of the evening, combining highlight-worthy plays (and a dunk at the expense of James) with across-the-board performance.

Given the track record of teams led by James in the postseason, the Pacers are likely to enter Game 7 as Vegas underdogs on the road in a hostile environment. However, Indiana’s showing in this spot (and the impotence of the Cavs) provides optimism for a winner-take-all scenario on Sunday in Cleveland, and there is suddenly real doubt as to whether the heavily-favored Cavs will be able to advance.