Nance and other bench players have key role

the fire and they really get the full feel of what that playoff intensity is like.

“I’m excited for our new guys to really get a piece of it. I’m sure it’s something they won’t forget because the energy level and intensity level is much different than a regular season game.”

In two seasons with the Lakers, Nance was already enjoying the offseason by the time 16 other teams in the NBA were getting ready for the postseason. Call it naïve or whatever term you choose, but he plans to treat each playoff game as just another night in the NBA.

“I always try to play with a high intensity,” said the son of former Cavaliers star Larry Nance. “Every possession matters. That’s always been my attitude.

“It’s kind of you don’t know what you don’t know. I don’t know what it’s going to be like, but I think it will be a smooth transition. It’s just basketball at the end of the day. There’s no need to do anything different than we were doing in the last stretch of games.”

One obvious difference between the regular season and the playoffs, aside from more being at stake, is facing the same opponent for as many as seven straight games. The approach Indiana takes facing the Cavaliers in the second game of the series could be different than the one taken in the first game. The Cavs and Pacers played each other four times in the regular season. The Pacers won the series, 3-1.

“I imagine a lot of adjustments will be made, a lot of going back to the drawing board if something doesn’t work,” Larry Nance Jr. said. “By the end of the series, I imagine you know their personnel pretty well.”

Of all the players acquired at the deadline, Nance arguably had to make the biggest adjustment. He went from being one of the leaders of the Lakers to playing on the team for which his father starred. He was happy to return home, but instead of leading he had to adjust to being led by the likes of James and Love.

“One of the biggest differences was responding to leadership and having a willingness to learn,” Nance said. “On the Lakers, I was one of the older more experienced guys on the team. Now here I’m one of the younger, less experienced guys. I’m learning from some of the best players in the league, so it’s definitely made me a better player.”

Nance, 25, has played 24 games with 10 starts for the Cavaliers. He is averaging 8.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocked shots in 20.8 minutes a game.

Thompson is averaging 5.8 points, 6.6 and 0.3 blocked shots.