David Hughes: Cavs Guard, Terre Haute -born Craig Porter Jr. was formerly a Pacers fan | Local news

Do not feel guilty, NBA fans. Craig Porter Jr. understands.

He knows the mixed feelings that you now feel likely.

The 6-foot 1 porter is a backup Guard in the second year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is also a native of Terre Haute, who played in front of his house, in Thompson Park and in Terre Haute Boys & Girls Club Basketball before taking his talents in Terre Haute South High School, Vincennes University, the State of Wichita and the CAVS as a non -drained free agent in 2023.

Many Wabash -Valley people are therefore for Porter (25) to achieve a good performance in his first NBA playoff experience. (A sprained ankle ended him during the Playoff run from 2024 from Cavs.)

Porter fell well in the first round in the 4-0 dismantling of the Miami heat through the Cavaliers. But now, as you probably know, the cavs in the second round are locked up in a titanical struggle for survival with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers took the first two games in Cleveland, then the finally dominated the full strength on Friday game 3.

The Gainbridge Fieldhouse from Sunday Night 4 in Indianapolis could be the momentum for the entire series. Tipoff is planned at 8 a.m. with TNT televisions of the campaign.

Back to Porter, he recognizes that some of his Terre Haute fans also like the Pacers. But he’s not angry with you. He flew the Pacers himself when Paul George was her star player.

If they support the Pacers and he liked them beforehand, he will still like them afterwards.

However, be assured that Porter shed his loyalty of the Pacers years ago, even though he still respects their players.

“I remember that (the Pacers 2013-14, which Paul George and George Hill belonged to) and one day I saw myself,” said Porter at the end of shooting the Cavaliers on Sunday morning in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “I just fell in love with the basketball game.”

The 2024-25 Cavs under the guidance of the head coach in the first year, Kenny Atkinson, offer Porter the opportunity to try playoff intensity. He came from the bank to achieve two points in the defeat of the Cavs 120-119 against the Pacers last Tuesday, and on Friday he scored two points in a late layup in Cleveland’s 126-104 demolition from the Pacers.

Porter emphasized that his teammates never lost their trust, even after they had lost their first two games of the series at home against the Pacers.

And they had no reason to do so in view of their 64:18 record of the regular season-14 games ahead of the Pacers-the second highest profit share (.780) in franchise history and the 26th highest in NBA history.

Porter said that the team’s 16-grade improvement compared to the 2023-24 campaign, when JB Bickertstaff served as a coach, can be attributed to two things: Atkinson’s implementation of a faster offensive and the CAVS that their star players have-mainly Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mabley health for a larger part of the season. Remember Mitchell broke out on Friday for 43 points in Cleveland’s blowout win.

During my Sunday morning with Porter, Garland passed and gave him a few good -natured ribs. Most likely, Garland receives more interview requests than Porter, so that Garland wanted to give his less explained teammate the “Star” treatment, laughed at the Porter. Porter said he was particularly good friends with Garland because Garland comes from Gary and she both does Indiana boys.

Porter knows seriously that he is not yet ready for fame. But he believes that his game level has increased, although his value average of 5.6 points per game fell from 23 to 24 to 3.7 ppg last season during the regular season. Much of them can be attributed to a lower playing time, since the Star Guards were healthy for a long time and create fewer opportunities for Porter.

“I have the feeling that when I gave the opportunity to do so, I played pretty well,” said Porter. “This is part of the NBA. If you get your opportunity, you have to make the best.

Towards the end of the regular season, in mid -April, when Cleveland’s position in the Eastern Conference was set in Stein, Atkinson gave his starters some peace and Porter was able to raise 16 and 20 points in separate games.

The 16-point performance occurred in Indianapolis with many family and friends of Terre Haute and Friends.

“It felt pretty good,” Porter admitted.

Another question I had to ask Porter was who is the toughest player he had to protect in the NBA? I let him choose a teammate if he wanted, and he did.

“The two best are Darius (Garland) and Donovan (Mitchell),” replied Porter. “Donovan, he is super strong. He is a big, physical guard. It is difficult to find him out. With Darius he is very flinching and so fast.”

I accepted his answer and then asked him to protect the most diffidential that is not a member of his own team, and he went with Tyrese Maxey, who scored 26.3 ppg for the Philadelphia 76ers this season.

“He is another very fast guard that has a change,” said Porter, “and he scores at every level.”

Game 5 of the Cavs-Pacers series will return to the Rocket Arena of Cleveland on Tuesday. Tipoff is planned for 7 p.m., whereby TNT exceeds the campaign again.