Cavaliers aiming for better third quarter in Game 5

Yogi Berra would appreciate the struggles the Cavaliers are going through in their playoff series with the Indiana Pacers.

Like the late New York Yankees catcher once said famously, “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”

The series between the Cavaliers and Pacers is deadlocked, 2-2, heading into Game 5 at 7 p.m. on April 25 at Quicken Loans Arena, because no Cavaliers lead is safe until the game is over.

The Cavs led Game 2, 58-46, at halftime and then had to hang on at home to win, 100-97, despite 46 points from LeBron James. Pacers star Victor Oladipo missed a wide open 3 in the final minute.

The Cavs led, 57-40, when the teams headed to their locker rooms for halftime of Game 3 and then scored only 33 points in the second half on their way to a 92-90 loss.

Once again, the Cavs led at halftime of Game 4, 60-50. The Pacers clawed back and took the lead at 92-89 before Kyle Korver came to the rescue with two three-pointers down the stretch to help the Cavs win, 104-100,

Changing the script is essential to putting away the Pacers in what has become a best-of-three series as far as the Cavaliers are concerned. The survivor advances to the next round to face the winner of the Toronto-Washington series.

“We’ve had double-digit leads going into the third quarter, but we’ve come out flat each time,” Korver said after practice on April 24 in Independence. “We came out once just trying to get more shots up. Everyone went out early. Next time, we tried layup lines.

“We’re trying to figure out what to do, but really we have to be more aggressive. Mentally we’re missing our edge, for some reason, in those first few minutes.”

Coach Tyronn Lue says the key to playing better in the second half starts at the defensive end.

“Get stops,” Lue said. “I think play through the game and also play with pace offensively. I think we’re getting some good shots coming out in that third quarter. We just got to make them. But I think defensively, we really got to do a good job of just coming out in that third quarter and establishing our defense.”

J.R. Smith made the ESPN highlight reel with his 61-foot buzzer beater at the end of the first quarter in Game 4, but his biggest contribution has been in defending Oladipo. Oladipo was just 5-of-20 from the field. He finished with a series-low 17 points after scoring 32 points in Game 1, 22 in game 2 and 18 in Game 3.

Not surprisingly, the Pacers are taking the opposite view to turn the series in their favor. Whereas the Cavs are concerned with their slow starts to the second half, the Pacers want to start the games quickly as they did in Game 1. The Pacers led the series opener, 25-8, before LeBron James attempted his first shot for the Cavaliers. Indiana went on to win, 98-80.

“You don’t want to keep getting off to slow starts,” Pacers guard Darren Collison told reporters after Game 4. “You don’t want to keep putting ourselves in a position where you need to constantly keep climbing back into the game, because it’s going to make you pay. The game is going to make you pay.”

Cavaliers starting point guard George Hill continues to be bothered by a stiff back. Lue is listing him as questionable for Game 5. Hill will start if he is able to play, Lue said. Jose Calderon will start if Hill has to miss the game.

The news is more encouraging on Kevin Love. Love has been playing with a sprained thumb since being injured in Game 2.

“Not so much,” Love said when asked if the thumb is bothering him. “I’ve been able to get up a lot of shots. I think initially it was painful and in the few days that followed, but now it’s kind of subsided and I’m just getting my feel back in my left thumb.”

Love has his own theory about what the Cavaliers must do to maintain their halftime edge.

“They’re just a team that spreads you out and they can play inside-outside and they’re a very good team on both sides of the ball,” Love said of the Pacers. “I think more than anything, what we’ve been preaching is not getting stagnant on offense, even in the half court not keeping it on one side and continue motion even if we do post Bron to continue to have that weak-side action and continue to get open looks.”

Game 6 is set for April 27 in Indianapolis at a time to be determined.