Chapter 313: Playoff P Arrives.
Game 1 against the Pacers. Quicken Loans Arena was packed to capacity.
It was just the first round, but Cleveland fans had been waiting long enough. The energy in the building was electric, the pregame introductions drowned out by deafening cheers.
But across from them, the Pacers weren't backing down either.
They weren't the same team from two years ago, but they came in with confidence.
And it showed early.
Monta Ellis and Paul George attacked the Cavaliers' defense relentlessly, using screens to get into the paint. Jokić was trying, but he was still a rookie. And like most rookies, he had to pay his dues.
Barely five minutes in, Jokić picked up his second foul and had to sit.
The difference in playoff officiating hit him immediately—calls were tighter, physicality was different, and the adjustment period was real.
Frank Vogel saw the weakness and went straight for it, targeting Cleveland's interior.
But despite that early success, the Pacers couldn't build a lead.
Because Jokić, while a key piece, wasn't the key to Cleveland's success.