NBA Score: Cleveland Cavaliers Lose To Indiana Pacers Without LeBron James

While they still remain one of the deepest teams in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers are simply not the same team without LeBron James on the court. That was evident when the team lost to the Indiana Pacers by a score of 103-93 on Wednesday, as reported by ESPN.

Freezing our @WhiteHouse visit in time forever with @FLOTUS!#MannequinChallenge ?? https://t.co/iX1qaJ8qQQ

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 11, 2016

Since the Cleveland Cavaliers are planning on a very long season that hopefully will result in their return to the NBA Finals, head coach Tyronn Lue has come up with a plan to preserve his key players. One of his tactics will be to strategically rest players, including his top three stars in Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, and Kevin Love. Though it is early in the season, James received his rest as the Cavaliers went up against the Indiana Pacers.

Without LeBron James around, Kevin Love decided to take over on offense. He looked like the player that he was when he the franchise cornerstone for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Taking 23 shots in the game, Love led the Cleveland Cavaliers in scoring and rebounding. The 6-foot-10 forward scored 27 points and pulled down 16 rebounds.

Kyrie Irving played like a superstar for the Cleveland Cavaliers as well, putting up 24 points and seven assists.

Tristan Thompson quietly had a good game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 6-foot-11 center pulled down 12 rebounds. He also only took two shots in 28 minutes, opting to wisely focus on defense and doing all of the little things to help his team.

Tyronn Lue utilized DeAndre Liggins, Jordan McRae, and Channing Frye as his top backups. Unfortunately, though, the bench did not provide much of a spark. McRae tried to make something happen with the second unit, but he struggled mightily with his shot, missing nine of the 12 shots that he took. The team especially needed contributions from their reserves with LeBron James resting for the evening.

Paul George had a very nice all-around game for the Indiana Pacers. The versatile 6-foot-9 forward had 21 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. His outside shooting was not great, but George did force the Cleveland Cavaliers defense to keep with him on the perimeter.

George Teague has been stepping it up as of late, making the Indiana Pacers feel better about their decisions to acquire him in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks over the summer. Teague had 20 points and eight assists on the night.

Myles Turner continues to prove that he is one of the most improved big men in the NBA. The second-year center had 12 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. Turner benefits greatly when he does not have to be the focal point on offense.

Thaddeus Young quietly contributed to the Indiana Pacers beating the Cleveland Cavaliers by adding 16 points and seven rebounds.

Monta Ellis only took six shots during the contest, but he did contribute in other areas of the game. The veteran shooting guard provided seven points, six rebounds, four assists, and a surprising five blocks.

With the starting lineup playing so well, the Indiana Pacers did not need a lot of help from their bench. CJ Miles was utilized by head coach Nate McMillan as the top reserve for the game. The 11-year veteran forward hit two shots from beyond the three point line and finished the evening with ten points. Aaron Brooks only played 11 minutes, but he was able to add nine points during that short period of time.

By picking up the victory, the Indiana Pacers now have a record of 6-6, which is below expectations for a team that was touted to be a top contender in the NBA this season.

[Featured Image by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]