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Pacers trip Cavs and snap James’ playoff streak

FORGET LeBron James making his eighth consecutive trip to the NBA finals — the Cleveland Cavaliers star might have trouble just getting out of the opening round of the playoffs.

Victor Oladipo scored a gamehigh 32 points to power the Indiana Pacers over the host Cavaliers 98-80 on Sunday in the opening game of their first-round NBA playoff series.

James had won 21 first-round playoff games in a row until the rout, having never before lost the opener in a first-round NBA postseason series.

James, seeking his ninth career trip to the NBA finals and fourth league title, had not dropped a first-round playoff game since the New York Knicks beat Miami in the fourth game of the 2012 opening round, a minor setback on the Heat’s title run, a career first for James.

James said falling behind in a series just motivates him to step up his game.

“I’m down 0-1 in the first round. I was down 3-1 in the finals. So I’m the last guy to ask about what I’m gonna be like the next couple days,” James said.

In the late game, league MVP candidate James Harden exploded for 44 points as the Houston Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-101.

The Pacers jumped ahead 33-14 after the first quarter and led by as much as 23 in holding off the Cavs, who came no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

The Cavaliers had their lowestscoring first period of the season and only five baskets with six turnovers in the opening quarter, drawing boos as they walked off at half-time trailing 59-38.

The Boston Celtics nearly fell victim to another Eastern Conference opening upset bid before edging visiting Milwaukee 113-107 in overtime.

In Houston, Harden led a big fourth-quarter run as the topseeded Rockets held off the Timberwolves in game one.

Harden made seven-of-12 three pointers but the Rockets had their hands full with the eighth seeded Timberwolves.