The Cleveland Cavaliers' upcoming series against the Indiana Pacers will be anything but easy.
The Wine and Gold may have dismantled the Miami Heat in four quick games, but Indiana's elite outside shooting, lengthy lineups, and solid defense could cause some issues for the Cavaliers.
Still, Cleveland should be considered the favorite to win this best-of-seven matchup, and that's exactly what one NBA expert is forecasting to happen.
Steve Aschburner of NBA.com recently published his preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals and believes the Cavaliers will ultimily win this series in six games.
"How do you like your momentum? Dominating? Then Cleveland has the edge heading into this series after posting the most lopsided points differential (122) in playoff history," wrote Aschburner.
"That's great training for what figures to be a much more competitive matchup. Still, those 14 extra victories by the Cavs in the regular season and the homecourt advantage it earned them should get it done for the Cavs."
It's no surprise that the analyst has Cleveland winning, considering they're the No. 1 seed in the East and are coming off a historically dominant offensive series against the Heat.
However, one factor that can change the outcome of this postseason matchup is the availability of Darius Garland, who continues to manage a toe injury.
As Aschburner mentions, with each team at full strength and playing at their highest level, the Cavaliers should have an edge over the Pacers.
But we'll have to wait until Game 1 on Sunday to see which team has the upper hand to start the series.
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