Kevin Love Says Cavaliers 'Have to Win' Game 4 vs. Pacers

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love told reporters Sunday's Game 4 matchup with the Indiana Pacers is a "must win."

"I think the 'want' is definitely there," Kevin Love said Saturday. "I don't even think you'd be asking that question had we won the game last night. ... I thought we were very spirited in that first half, we were very aggressive. ... If tomorrow goes our way, we even up the series, then we're right back at it. We have to win this one tomorrow."

The Cavaliers trail the Indiana Pacers 2-1 in the best-of-seven series after blowing a 17-point halftime lead in Game 3. So what Love is saying isn't exactly surprising information. The Cavs haven't looked cohesive in any of the three games so far, relying on a monstrous LeBron James performance in Game 2 to avoid dropping both home games.

This is not a team that can rebound from a 3-1 deficit.

Love has battled through ankle and hand injuries to stay on the floor but has been nowhere close to peak performance level. He's averaging just 14.3 points and 10.3 points on 40.5 percent shooting through the first three games.

If the Cavs don't win Sunday night in Indiana, the narrative is going to shift in a big way. It'll go from whether the Cavs can make a comeback to whether we're seeing the last game LeBron ever plays for his home-state franchise in Game 5.