CLEVELAND, Ohio — In chess, every player starts with the same pieces — equal in number, equal in power. That‘s never the case in sports. Every team is built differently, and success hinges just as much on the pieces as the plan. In the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cavs and Pacers, strategy matters, but it‘ll come down to which side has the sharper tools and knows exactly how and when to use them. Indiana has the pedigree after reaching the Eastern Conference finals last season. The Pacers’ roster is built with talented pieces, and Rick Carlisle has brought out the best in them. They’re not a team that will simply roll over. But for every adjustment that Carlisle throws at Kenny Atkinson, the Cavs can counter — like a seasoned boxer reading the jab, slipping the hook, and waiting to land the knockout blow. This series will come down to matchups. And the Cavs, through months of preparation and lineup flexibility, have built a roster designed to solve problems on the fly. How to watch the Cavs: See how to watch the Cavs games with this handy game-by-game TV schedule. Are Andrew Nembhard or Aaron Nesmith bothering the Cavs’ backcourt at the point of attack? Insert Ty Jerome’s steady hand. Or get Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell off the ball, letting Max Strus or Evan Mobley initiate actions that create space and force Indiana to scramble. Need to get into an offense-heavy lineup? Cue De’Andre Hunter, who gives Cleveland offensive punch without sacrificing defensive stability when sending Jarrett Allen to the bench. Hunter may even be a cleaner perimeter matchup for Myles Turner or Jarace Walker on the perimeter while Mobley deals with Pascal Siakam. And if Hunter’s offense isn’t clicking — like it was beginning to in the first round — Dean Wade is waiting. He’s yet another option off the bench to play a similar role with his size, quickness and strength to guard outside-in. Is Tyrese Haliburton attacking Garland on each offensive possession? Atkinson has answers. Isaac Okoro can plug in. Wade can switch. The plan doesn’t change — just the pieces executing it. Many of these strategies are focused on the defensive end and minimizing the Pacers’ high-octane offense. But it‘s Indiana that has to keep up with Cleveland. The Cavs posted the best offensive rating in playoff history in their first-round matchup against the Heat, following an 82-game regular season where they finished No. 1 in offensive rating as well. The Cavs aren’t a one-man show. Their depth has consistently been the answer. They have the versatility and unpredictability to not only offer solutions but to give Carlisle and the Pacers their own problems to worry about. For Atkinson and the Cavs, it can’t be about reacting to what the Pacers do. Cleveland is the No. 1 seed. The Cavs need to strike first and set the tone. Land the opening punch and don’t let up. Then adjust when Carlisle inevitably tries to counter. Basketball, at its highest level, is much more like boxing than any other sport, although Atkinson makes different sports analogies to keep his players engaged. It‘s not stop-start like football or calculated pitch-to-pitch like baseball. A great boxer knows when to press and when to pause, when to dance and when to devastate. There’s no time to overthink. Just instincts. Preparation. And the right move at the right time. It‘ll be on Atkinson to put his players in the right position to succeed, but unlike coaches in Cleveland’s past, he has the personnel — more than just one crucial figure — to execute his decisions. But if you needed another sports analogy, this series won’t be a marathon. It‘s a 400-meter sprint. Long enough to gas out if you push too early, but short enough that a slow start might bury you. The Cavs know the pace. They’ve trained for it. They’ll open with a hit-first mentality, landing the first blow, getting off to the races and putting the Pacers on their heels. And the finish? It won’t just be a flurry of punches. It‘ll be a barrage of 3s in Game 5, as the Cavs sprint through the finish line and leave Indiana staggering, waiting for the final bell or the ref to reach ten.