2017 NBA Playoffs Roundup, Day 3: Cavaliers As Avengers, Parker's Revival And 'TAKE THAT FOR DATA'

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:11 p.m. ET

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Apr 15, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a dunk in the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers in game one of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Every day during the 2017 NBA Playoffs, we'll be taking a look at the action, highlights and prevailing storylines with an NBA roundup session. Here's Day 3.

The 2017 NBA Playoffs are off to a tremendous start, and even if we end up with the Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers Finals showdown everyone's been predicting for over a year now, would anyone be mad as long as the playoffs remain this entertaining?

Opening weekend was rife with big-time performances from superstar players, eyebrow-raising upsets and plenty of highlights and storylines all converging at the best time of year for NBA fans.

As we advance through the postseason, we'll be taking a look at what stood out from each day of playoff action. Here's what we took away from Game 2 of Cleveland Cavaliers-Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs-Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

The Cleveland Avengers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have not been a good basketball team lately. They've had the second-worst defense since the All-Star break, they've coughed up multiple double-digit leads at home and yet somehow, they're comfortably up 2-0 on the Indiana Pacers in this first round series.

The Cavs are basically the Avengers: Dysfunctional as all hell, but they have a Hulk. Can the Pacers beat a Hulk? Let's ask the Hulk himself:

Leave it to LeBron James to supply the play that perfectly captures the spirit of an entire playoff series. Because as much as the Pacers have legitimately challenged Cleveland in Game 1 and Game 2, was anyone really surprised to see them come up short in the most typically Pacers fashion possible?

The defense is still a concern, and will continue to loom large the farther the Cavs advance through the Eastern Conference playoffs. As fun as it was to watch in Game 2, letting Kyrie Irving (37 points, 14-of-24 shooting) constantly pick apart Jeff Teague won't be a thing in the next round.

In fact, it's a little concerning Indiana was even able to make it a game after Cleveland drained nine of its 15 threes in the first half. It's even more alarming how fast Indiana whittled down the Cavs' 15-point fourth quarter to just five with a few minutes remaining.

Luckily, despite Cleveland shooting 4-for-15 from deep in the second half, LeBron took advantage of Myles Turner matching up on him on the perimeter in the fourth quarter for the second game in a row, right when his team needed a basket to keep Quicken Loans Arena from collapsing in on itself in a Cleveland panic. He also finished the game with a 25-10-7-4-4 stat line.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to sweep this first round series, or at least enjoy a gentleman's sweep. They'e going to be well-rested heading into the semifinals. And yet, even with a Hulk, there's very little reason to feel good about this team right now.

May 16, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird speaks to the press during a press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Pacers' Flawed Pacemaker

It's really too bad we couldn't have gotten a Chicago Bulls or Miami Heat first round matchup with the Cavs. As fun as Paul George vs. LeBron James has been and will continue to be, this team has never felt like a threat to beat Cleveland, even with both games coming down to the wire.

It's hard to tell what the most underwhelming aspect of this Indiana Pacers team is right now. Is it Jeff Teague being flambéed alive by Kyrie? Is it Nate McMillan, a regular in this category? Or is it Myles Turner, who's looked completely out of his element in his second playoff series, tallying 17 points and 13 rebounds on 8-of-20 shooting through his first two games?

The answer is none of the above. It's Larry Bird, the man who assembled this cluster-f**k of a 2016-17 roster that could very well cost Indiana its superstar sometime over the next 15 months.

He knows what this series means now that the heartbeat of a former Eastern power has gone into cardiac arrest. He knows how important it is for the Pacers to become a title contender again in the near future. And he knows the threat of the Lakers looms large in George's upcoming 2018 free agency.

Just look at his face as he watches LeBron dismantle his team for the umpteenth time in the playoffs.

Paul George is an unquestionable superstar. His 61 points on 19-of-39 shooting so far represents the only hope these Pacers have for extending this series to a fifth game as the series shifts back to Indiana.

I mean, just look at what he did to poor Tristan Thompson. THEY TOLD ME THIS MOVIE WAS SAFE FOR CHILDREN, BUT PG-13 RAPIDLY WENT RATED-R.

Unfortunately, Paul George can do those things anywhere, and his frustration with this franchise isn't going to dissipate with a gentleman's sweep in the first round. The pros and cons of trading him are already rearing their ugly heads.

In an otherwise predictable first round playoff series, we could be witnessing the end of what once seemed like a dynasty-in-the-making. As the Pacers approach that seemingly inevitable flatline, the blame lies with the pacemaker himself.

Apr 17, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) shoots the ball past Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) during the second half in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Parker Revival

Once again, Kawhi Leonard was the story of the San Antonio Spurs' latest playoff victory. After tying his career-high with 32 points in Game 1, he was even better in Game 2, dropping a new career-high 37 points while making all 19 of his free throws.

But rather than regurgitate what everyone else wants to talk about today, someone should probably mention the encouraging Tony Parker Renaissance through the first two games of this series.

Leonard's 69 points on 28 shots remain the biggest reason San Antonio is up 2-0 in this series, but it bodes well for the Spurs' championship hopes if TP can continue to harness his inner self from five years ago.

In fact, through the first two games of the series, Parker has arguably been more effective than Mike Conley, or at least played him to a standstill:

In the first half of Game 2, Parker had 12 points as the Spurs led by as many as 26 points. In the second half, Parker only had three points and the Grizzlies were able to chop the lead down to four  midway through the fourth quarter.

It's pretty simple, even for a team that has a bonafide MVP candidate and an underrated amount of depth: When Tony Parker is on, the Spurs are legitimately dangerous, even to a team like the Golden State Warriors.

Next: 'THEY NOT GON' ROOK US'

Apr 17, 2017; San Antonio, TX, USA; Memphis Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale encourages his team during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

"THEY NOT GON' ROOK US"

The Memphis Grizzlies are down 2-0 in a series against a team that has swept them the last two times they've met in the playoffs. Aside from the first quarter of Game 1 and the third quarter of Game 2, in which they were only a +14, they've been outscored by a whopping 163-106 margin.

The Grizz are getting punked by a vastly superior team, even if they were able to slice that 26-point deficit down to four in the fourth quarter.

However, when your back's against the wall and your team gets out-shot at the free throw line by Kawhi Leonard by himself, sometimes the officiating comes into question.

This time, Filburt from Rocko's Modern Life was NOT having it:

"THEY NOT GON' ROOK US."

"TAKE THAT FOR DATA."

The Grizzlies needed a fire lit under their asses, and head coach David Fizdale provided it. Say what you want about the officiating in Game 2, but the most important part of that whole tirade was uniting his team under an Us Against The World banner with, "My guys dug in that game and earned the right to be in that game and they did not even give us a chance."

Fizdale has quickly established himself as one of the league's up-and-coming coaches, which should be no surprise to those familiar with his work as a Miami Heat assistant. And yet, even as a rookie head coach, he's showing wisdom beyond his years with that kind of veteran move.

It probably won't turn this series around, and the Grizzlies' long-term future is very much in doubt. What can we say? The Spurs are just too damn good. But the hefty fine that's coming might be a little easier to stomach since Fizdale got more than his money's worth.

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