Five Keys: Cavaliers at Pacers ‑ Feb. 27, 2015
1 / 5The Cavaliers bench has been the model of efficiency since GM David Griffin bolstered the rotation with the addition of Smith, Shumpert and Mozgov. Shumpert and Matthew Dellavedova have been defensive demons off the bench (with Kendrick Perkins set to join this group), James Jones has been extremely effective in spot duty and Tristan has easily established himself as a Sixth Man candidate. But on Friday night, they’ll be going against one of the best second units in the Association – averaging 41.0 ppg (4th in the league) and 19.5 boards (tops in the NBA) per outing. Indy’s bench has accounted for 30-plus points in 49 of 57 games with 32 contests of 40 or more. The Pacers second unit – consisting mainly of Scola, Mahinmi, C.J. Watson and Rodney Stuckey (who had back-to-back 30-point games off the bench this week) has only been outscored in 15 games this season, but Indiana is just 2-13 in those affairs. The Cavaliers bench mob will look to make it 2-14 on Friday night.