Magic Johnson Takes Subtle Shot at Pacers With Playoff Prediction

The Indiana Pacers will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over their division rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in Game 2 of their series on Tuesday.

The Pacers are loaded with confidence and have a great chance to take the series despite the Cavaliers finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference. While Indiana has proven doubters wrong time and time again, there are many who aren't buying them as true contenders, including NBA legend and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.

Johnson provided his two cents on the Pacers, saying despite their impressive win in Game 1, he does not believe the Pacers will win the series over Cleveland.

"I enjoyed watching the Indiana Pacers take care of business against the Cleveland Cavaliers yesterday, even though I think that the Cavs will end up winning the series," wrote Johnson.

I enjoyed watching the Indiana Pacers take care of business against the Cleveland Cavaliers yesterday, even though I think that the Cavs will end up winning the series.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 5, 2025

The oddsmakers seem to be on Johson's side, at least for Game 2. The Cavaliers are favored in this matchup, with a. -7.5 spread.

On Sunday in Game 1, the Pacers withstood every Cavaliers attempt to come back. It was one of Indiana's more crucial wins this season and certainly in this playoff run.

Indiana came out of the gates hot this series, winning 121-112, and has now won four of the past five meetings with Cleveland this season. The Pacers did so as a team, as they are certainly one of the deepest teams remaining in the league.

They can go eight deep, and all can provide an extra layer on either side of the ball. That was the case on Sunday, as all five starters scored in double figures. Leading the way was guard Andrew Nembhard, recording 23 points and six assists while shooting 70 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from three in 37 minutes of action.

There is something about Indiana that people don't seem to have confidence in, although they have proven that they are indeed a force to be reckoned with. Many pundits and experts thought they'd lose in the first round to the Bucks, and the same can be said for their second-round wires matchup.

They have all the tools to make a deep playoff run, and they'll continue to showcase that as the playoffs progress.

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, head on over to Indiana Pacers on SI.