LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Cavaliers Fend Off Pacers 117-111 in Game 2

The Indiana Pacers put up a tough fight for the second game in a row, but just like in Game 1, they couldn't complete a comeback.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff matchup with a 117-111 win over Indiana on Monday night. Although an 18-point lead shrunk to four late, the only thing that matters at this time of year is getting the win.

ESPN Stats and Info noted what this game could mean for the series:

It was the Cleveland Big Three that came through once again, combining for 89 of the team's 117 points. Per ESPN Stats and Info, Cleveland is now 7-0 in the playoffs when all three players score at least 20 points.

No one else on the roster reached double digits.

LeBron James filled up the stat sheet with 25 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and four blocks. 

Kyrie Irving (37 points) and Kevin Love (27 points and 11 rebounds) starred as well, especially in the third quarter as the Cavs took a big lead. 

Irving scored 14 points in the quarter, while Love had his own 10-0 run to build the lead, as the NBA's official Twitter feed showed:

The Indiana defense was seemingly non-existent as Cleveland shot 55.3 percent from the field in the game, including 41.9 percent from three-point range.

Derek Bodner of The Ringer discussed the easy points in transition:

While the Cavaliers did have 18 turnovers, including eight from James, it's easy to win when you score with the type of efficiency they had.

Paul George once again did everything he could with 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Pacers.

Jeff Teague added 23 on 8-of-12 shooting, while Lance Stephenson was solid again with 13 points off the bench. However, the always entertaining guard couldn't match up against Love defensively, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com joked:

Myles Turner was a disappointment with just six points in the loss.

While the team is clearly willing to fight, it will need a more complete effort to win a game in this series.

The Cavaliers built a 63-58 lead in the first half thanks to 60 percent shooting. Each team's best player was at his best early on, with both George and James coming through with some highlight-reel plays:

Cleveland built up an 18-point lead going into the fourth quarter, although the Pacers fought back to cut the margin to four points in the final minute. 

Bill Simmons of The Ringer explained why Indiana got back in it:

The Cavaliers held off the late rally by going 4-of-4 from the free-throw line with under 20 seconds remaining. 

The Cavs limped into the playoffs and were a CJ Miles jumper away from losing Game 1. Another close game with poor defense indicates the problems aren't yet solved.

Another concern is the health of JR Smith after he missed the second half with a hamstring injury, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press. Iman Shumpert played well in his place, but losing Smith could be significant.

The series will now shift locations with Games 3 and 4 taking place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The next matchup is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. ET..