LeBron views Game 1 loss as 'best teacher' for Cavs

An active trade deadline gave this Cavaliers team just 66 days to prepare for their first-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers, which resulted in a 98-80 loss for Cleveland.

After a disastrous midseason stretch, during which they lost 13 of 19 games, the Cavaliers made changes, sending away six players before the Feb. 8 trade deadline, receiving four key pieces in return.

Despite early positive results, LeBron James and Co. struggled to find consistency with little time to learn each other's tendencies, and it showed in their 98-80 loss on Sunday.

"I think we spent so much time trying to figure out who we were in the regular season and getting the right lineups and guys in and out and things of that nature, we could never build for the playoffs," James said, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "It was kind of like, build for the next game. So the postseason finally hit us and it hit us very well. And I think that can be the best teacher for us to know exactly what we should be ready for tonight."

Deadline newcomers Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance, Rodney Hood, and George Hill all played at least 18 minutes in Game 1, combining for just 32 points in the 18-point loss. James finished with 24 points, 10 boards, and 12 assists, but hit only seven of his 17 shots and was a minus-13 in 44 minutes of play.

Cleveland will look to bounce back in Wednesday's Game 2 at home before taking off to Indiana for the next two contests.