Cavaliers: Pacers' 5-out offense has concern at a 5-alarm level

A new phrase — and tactic — has been added to the basketball lexicon. Hardcore Cavaliers fans need to familiarize themselves with what is called 5-out. It's a strategy the Indiana Pacers — the Cavaliers' Eastern Conference semifinal opponent — and one other possible future foe utilize in which all five players on the court shoot from the 3-point line. As if the NBA needs more 3-point shots. "It's the hardest thing to guard in basketball, five shooters," Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. "It's the Boston and Indiana conundrum." Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday at Rocket Arena. If the Cavs are fortunate enough to get past the Pacers, the defending champion Boston Celtics could be waiting for them in the East finals. The Celtics are another team that uses the 5-out offense and actually have more weapons than fast-paced Indiana. The Pacers' Myles Turner is not your run-of-the-mill center. The 6-foot-11, 250-pounder shot .396 (156-of-394) from the 3-point line this season — all career highs. In 48 career playoff games, he has shot .396 from distance. He attempted an average of 5.5 shots from the 3-point line per game and made 2.2 this season, both career highs. The Cavs must decide how to defend the 10-year veteran. "How much are you going to switch or are you going to stay in coverage?" Atkinson said. "Against Miami, we didn't switch as much. We stayed in coverage. This series could be different because of the five-out. You have more area to cover. You have to adjust your transition defense tactics." In one of the regular-season games against Indiana — the Cavs lost three of four to the Pacers this year — Cleveland removed center Jarrett Allen and inserted 6-8 De'Andre Hunter to defend Turner. "J.A.'s next step is to be able to guard 5-out,' Atkinson said. "It's a challenge, but he's more than capable with his versatility. It's more switching. The talent is there. We'll have to read the series. "They are going to have to guard us, too, with the two bigs together. What might seem like a disadvantage on one end might be an advantage on the other." The Cavs start games with the 6-11 Allen and 7-0 Evan Mobley on the court together and usually play them in tandem during crunch time. Allen is well aware of what's in store for Cleveland's defense. "That's who they are (with) Myles, (Pascal) Siakam," he said. "They are all perimeter players. I'm not used to being out there guarding them. At the end of the day, I'll have to give more effort." Mobley said the Cavs might implement their own version of the 5-out offense against Indiana. "We can put (Turner) in different positions on the floor, especially if he's guarding me," he said. "We can play 5-out as well to take him away from the basket. There are a few different options and I feel we have a good plan for that. "It's tough to defend the paint and get out to the 3-point line." Hunter said he'd be ready if called upon. "You have to be aggressive on defense," he said. "We have to be physical with (Turner) and keep him off the glass." Skip the chip The Pacers turned their first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks into a trash-talking affair. It ended with Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo confronting Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton's father. Atkinson said he's not worried about his team. "Our guys compete at a high level," he said. "We never say, 'Let's make this series chippy. Let's stir something up.' That's not our character. Our character is that we have elite competitors. This isn't a boxing match. We have to have grit. We're not coming into this series and saying, 'We have to be chippy.'" Let it snow During a Cavalanche promotion in the Miami series, it actually "snowed" inside Rocket Arena. "It was cool," Mobley said. "Some of it got on the court, so we'll have to take care of that." Bob Finnan can be reached at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.