CLEVELAND _ Even if the Cavaliers advance past the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Indiana Pacers have exposed all their flaws.
The Cavs don't have enough scoring options.
The shooters they do have are too streaky.
They miss Kyrie Irving and his stone-cold killer instinct, with Kevin Love failing in his opportunity to be the kind of No. 2 who can occasionally light it up like a No. 1.
They aren't tough or physical enough, easily outmuscled inside.
Even with major improvements defensively in the postseason, they allow too many easy layups.
Their offense sometimes has no flow, likely largely because of injuries that prevented them from having a healthy roster for even one game in the regular season.
They are prone to mental lapses that lead to a bad quarter, usually the third.
And hanging over all of them is the future of LeBron James, who can opt out of his contract this July and become a free agent. That burden may be heavier than we know, with each player's struggles seemingly increasing the likelihood that James will leave Cleveland.
Because of all that, their playoff life could be short.
But just because the entire basketball world knows the Cavs' weaknesses doesn't mean they can't be fixed. They remedied their third-quarter woes in Wednesday night's stunning 98-95 victory in Game 5 at Quicken Loans Arena, with James making a 3-point buzzer-beater from the top of the key over Thaddeus Young as the crowd exploded.
They will take a 3-2 series lead into Friday night's possible closeout Game 6 in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
As long as James keeps up his dominance _ with 44 points he recorded his 21st career 40-point playoff game, passing Jerry West and moving into second in league history _ there may be time to cure more of what ails the Cavs.
They are still learning to play together. Perhaps Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr. will gain more confidence and become better finishers. Love's sprained left thumb suffered in Game 2 is improving, which means he could have a big scoring game any day now, even though the Pacers have multiple big men who are making this a bad matchup for him.
The Cavs turned in a performance in Sunday's Game 4 victory at Indiana that had elements to build on. Kyle Korver broke out of his shooting slump, making four of his last five 3-pointers. Jordan Clarkson provided a second-quarter spark off the bench with 10 points in that quarter and 12 overall. They had four players in double figures for the first time in the series.
But it took the Cavs an entire half Wednesday to remember what they are capable of. James scored 20 points in the first 24 minutes, shooting 9 of 11 from the field while the rest of the Cavs were connecting on 10 of 30.
Then in the third quarter, normally when they languish, not thrive, the Cavs turned it on. They outscored the Pacers 17-3 to start the second half to open a 66-59 lead, with James scoring 11 of those. With a swarming defense, they forced five Pacers turnovers in a span of 5:34 and seven for the quarter.
The Cavs outscored the Pacers 32-17 in the normally troublesome third, 15 of those points by James. That in itself was a major improvement.
They held Pacers star Victor Oladipo to 2-of-15 shooting, including 2-of-14 through three quarters, with James blocking his game-winning attempt with three seconds left.
If the Cavs continue to win, perhaps they can chip away at some of their other flaws. After an energetic third quarter and the stunning finish provided by James' block and shot, it may not be too late to become a complete team.
