Lance Stephenson: Cleveland Cavaliers Will Start 'Panicking' If Pacers Win Game 4

Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson believes the Cleveland Cavaliers will start to panic if they go down 3-1 in their first round series.

The Pacers came back from a 17-point deficit in halftime to defeat the Cavaliers 92-90 and take a 2-1 series lead on Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The defeat meant the Cavaliers not only lost for the first time after a lead in the fourth quarter this season, but also lost for the first time after leading three quarters of a game, having previously gone 40-0 this season, both in the regular season and the playoffs.

And with LeBron James previously not losing a first round game since 2012, the possibility of being 3-1 down will cause the alarm bells to ring for his team, according to Stephenson.

"We have full control right now," Stephenson said after practice Saturday, as per ESPN. "We have to keep it. We get another win in our building, and that's when I think they're going to start panicking. We're going to bring it like we [brought] it the first game."

"Our goal is to stay together, try to contain LeBron, play team defense. That team is a good team. I don't think they're going to get frustrated," he said.

The Pacers have faced a James-led side four times in the last six years and have lost on all occasions. That is why they cannot afford to lose Game 4 with home advantage as All-Star guard Victor Oladipo, the hero in Game 1, believes their best basketball is still to come.

"I think we're getting better," Oladipo stated. "Teams make adjustments between games. We did a great job of adjusting in the second half. I think our best basketball is still to come."

James finished Game 3 with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists and having shot 10-for-22 with six turnovers, refused to blame his teammates for not offering enough support.

"What are you guys looking for, you guys think I'm going to throw my teammates under the bus? I'm not about that," James said after the game. "Guys just, we have to be better, including myself."

"Had six turnovers tonight. I was horrible in the third quarter, couldn't make a shot. If I had made some better plays in the third quarter, the lead doesn't slip," he had said.

Kevin Love was one of his teammates who could have contributed more as despite scoring 19 points in Game 3, only three of his total came in the second half as the former Minnesota Timberwolves star states the Cavs have to win their next game.

"I think the want is definitely there," Love explained. "I thought we were very spirited in that first half, we were very aggressive. Honestly, I just thought, especially on the offensive end, the level of physicality picked up on both ends, we were very one-sided, we weren't getting the ball to the other side of the floor."

"When they can load up, they're a pretty good team on the defensive end. They're well-balanced, they play extremely hard. That's what happened. If [Sunday] goes our way, we even up the series, then we're right back at it. We have to win this one," he said.

Game 4 takes place on Sunday night.