LeBron James scored 46 points and added 12 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from a poor performance in the series opener by holding off the Indiana Pacers 100-97 on Wednesday night to even their Eastern Conference playoff matchup at one game apiece.

 

Dazzling from the start, James scored the game's first 16 points and had 29 at halftime, ruling the floor as he has done in so many previous postseasons.

 

Cleveland was lucky that Indiana's Victor Oladipo missed a wide-open 3-pointer that would have tied it with 27 seconds left.

 

Kevin Love scored 15, but Cleveland's All-Star center jammed his left thumb - the same hand he broke earlier this season- while deflecting a pass and sat out the final 3:43 left with the Cavs clinging to a slim lead. 

 

Oladipo scored 22 - he was in early foul trouble - and Myles Turner 18 for the Pacers, who shocked the Cavs with an overpowering win in Game 1 and head home full of confidence.

 

Indiana clawed back from an 18-point deficit and was within 95-92 when Oladipo, who scored 32 in the opener, somehow came free off a screen but missed maybe his easiest shot in two games.

 

James then made three free throws over the final 22 seconds as the Cavs avoided falling behind 2-0 on the series.

 

Game 3 is Friday night.

 

>>Greg Popovich's Wife Dies After Battle With Lengthy Illness

 

The San Antonio Spurs announced some unfortunate news on Wednesday evening, that Gregg Popovich's wife, Erin Popovich, died Wednesday. She was 67.

 

Gregg met Erin while he was an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy, according to The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. Erin's father, Jim Conboy, was a long time athletic trainer for the Air Force Falcons. She was a native of Colorado Springs. 

 

It is not yet clear how this will affect the 69-year-old Popovich's status for the remainder of the Spurs' first-round series against the Warriors. 

 

In a statement released by the team, Spurs General Manager RC Buford said quote - "We mourn the loss of Erin. She was a strong, wonderful, kind, intelligent woman who provided love, support and humor to all of us."