Apr 22, 2018; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (4) waiting for a free throw attempt in the second half of game four in the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Cavaliers' 2018 Playoff Series with LeBron James Still Haunts Victor Oladipo Years Later

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Evan Dammarell | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 4:30 PM ET

From 2015 to 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Eastern Conference, reaching four consecutive NBA Finals under the leadership of LeBron James.

Other than in 2016, the Golden State Warriors ultimately proved to be Cleveland’s toughest opponent in the Finals. However, no team in the East had an answer for the Cavaliers during that run, not even Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers.

The 2018 first-round Eastern Conference Playoff series between the Cavaliers and the Pacers stands out as one of the most competitive of that era. Indiana, led by Victor Oladipo in his breakout season, pushed Cleveland to seven games.

Oladipo averaged 22.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in the series, including a 28-point triple-double in Game 6 to force the decisive final contest. Despite his performance, the Cavaliers, behind a 45-point effort from James, secured the Game 7 win.

Years later, Oladipo reflected on that loss with raw emotion, admitting it left him emotionally exhausted and heartbroken in a recent episode of Dwight Howard's podcast, DH12 Above the Rim.

“I cried so hard,” Oladipo said. "Because, when you say, like, when it’s when it’s over in the playoffs, that’s when you rest and you realize how exhausted you are

“You never tell yourself you’re exhausted until you’re like, 'OK, it’s over.' I remember being so exhausted emotionally that I just broke down because it was like, there’s no way they weren’t better than us.

“That’s what I truly, truly felt in my heart. And I felt like that in game seven.”

The 2018 tilt between the Cavaliers and Pacers remains a vivid example of how playoff basketball can elevate legacies and alter careers in a matter of games.

For Oladipo, it was a personal peak before the beginning of an abrupt decline. For the Cavaliers, it was a testament to the resilience and excellence that defined LeBron James’s second tenure with the franchise.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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