Several fans had an unflattering comparison in mind for the Cleveland Cavaliers during their embarrassing display in Game 4 of their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers.
The Cavaliers were completely outclassed from start to finish during Sunday’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The 129-109 final score does not reflect how overwhelmingly bad the Cavs played in the contest.
Cleveland shot a ghastly 8/32 (25%) from the field in the first half, leading to an 80-39 Indiana lead at halftime. The Cavs’ 41-point hole at the break tied the record for the largest halftime deficit in NBA playoff history.
The blowout loss was a jarring sight considering how dominant the Cavaliers were throughout the 2024-25 season. Cleveland went 64-18 and virtually locked up the one-seed in the East weeks before the season ended.
Many compared the 64-win Cavs to another 60-win team from a decade ago: the 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks.
The 2025 Cleveland Cavaliers pic.twitter.com/n1Ab5uWhLr
— Roukshiestypt2 (@BeenHim16) May 12, 2025
Behold, the 2025 Cleveland Cavaliers pic.twitter.com/DfLYrxJoKu
— 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕠 〰️ (@MANOMAGlC) May 12, 2025
2025 cavaliers team pic.twitter.com/ylTdqFI7xu
— JP (@mbamjv) May 12, 2025
The 2014-15 Hawks have become synonymous with overachieving in the regular season but fizzling out in the playoffs. The 60-win Hawks, like the Cavs, earned the top seed in the East that season. Atlanta eventually got swept by a LeBron James-led Cleveland squad in the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals.
But the Hawks at least made it to the final four in 2015. Following Sunday’s loss to the Pacers, the Cavaliers find themselves one game away from crashing out in the second round.
