Cavaliers' J.R. Smith: Buries four three-pointers in comeback win

Smith (hamstring) started at shooting guard and submitted 13 points (4-9 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 1-2 FT), two rebounds and two assists across 31 minutes in a 119-114 win over the Pacers on Thursday in Game 3 of the series.

Analysis:

Smith picked up a hamstring injury in Game 2 that forced his early departure and kept him questionable heading into Game 3, but he was able to suit up and helped give the Cavs a lift with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combining to shoot 8-for-29 from the field. The Cavaliers have been waiting patiently for Smith to break out of his season-long shooting slump, and perhaps his solid showing from beyond the arc Thursday will serve as a springboard for him to offer a more consistent impact on the offensive end. He had connected on only 25.6 percent of his three-point attempts in his last seven games heading into Thursday.