KEYPOINTS SUMMARY
- Pacers upset top-seeded Cavaliers with 121-112 Game 1 victory
- Tyrese Haliburton leads the way with 22 points and 13 assists
- Andrew Nembhard hits 5 threes and scores career-high 23 points
- Cavs fall flat despite 33 points from Donovan Mitchell
- Mitchell breaks Michael Jordanโs playoff Game 1 scoring record
- Pacers hit 19 threes, outshoot Cavs who go just 9-for-38 from deep
- Game 2 is Tuesday in Cleveland, and itโs now must-win for the Cavs
- Clevelandโs season now teeters after dominant regular-season run
Pacers Upset Cavs Game 1: Haliburton Shocks Cleveland, Mitchell Breaks Jordan Record in Wild Playoff Opener
Cleveland fans left stunned. NBA analysts left speechless. And Indiana? Theyโre heading into Game 2 full of fire.
In one of the biggest surprises of the postseason so far, the Indiana Pacers stunned the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 121-112 on Sunday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Led by Tyrese Haliburtonโs all-around brilliance, the Pacers completely shattered expectationsโand Clevelandโs defenseโon their way to stealing home court advantage.
And just like that, what many expected to be a walk to the East Finals for Cleveland is now a full-blown playoff dogfight.
Haliburton Delivers a Masterclass: 22 Points, 13 Assists, and a Dagger Three
The night belonged to Tyrese Haliburton. The fourth-seeded Pacersโ star drained a go-ahead 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter, then took over the game with his clutch playmaking and smart decision-making.
Haliburtonโs stats? 22 points, 13 assists, and a game-defining blocked shot on Max Strus with just over 2 minutes left that led to a fast-break layup and a 10-point Indiana lead.
โWe came here to win,โ Haliburton said postgame. โEveryone doubted us. We didnโt.โ
Andrew Nembhard Breaks Out with Career Night
While Haliburton played the role of star, Andrew Nembhard was the nightโs surprise weapon.
The second-year guard exploded for a playoff career-high 23 points, including five made threes, torching Clevelandโs perimeter defense and punishing every switch the Cavs threw at him.
โI just let it fly,โ Nembhard said. โI knew if we were going to win, we had to hit shots. And we hit them.โ
Pacers Burn Hot from Deep, Cavs Go Ice Cold
The Pacers shot a blistering 19-of-36 from three, outclassing the Cavaliers, who went just 9-of-38 from deep.
It wasnโt just a shooting display. It was a clinic in floor spacing, ball movement, and tempo. Every time Cleveland tried to rally, Indiana hit a dagger.
All five Pacers starters scored in double figures:
- Haliburton: 22
- Nembhard: 23
- Aaron Nesmith: 17
- Pascal Siakam: 17
- Myles Turner: 14
This was a total team winโand it put the Cavs on notice.
Mitchell Shines Despite Loss โ Breaks MJโs Playoff Record
Letโs not ignore the history made by Donovan Mitchell, even in defeat.
With his 33-point performance, Mitchell became the first player in NBA history to score 30+ points in eight consecutive Game 1s, breaking Michael Jordanโs record of seven.
โIt means a lot,โ Mitchell said. โBut Iโd trade the record for a win tonight.โ
He now averages 33.2 points in Game 1sโsecond all-time only to Jordan himself for players with at least 10 playoff series appearances.
Still, the record felt like a footnote in a game where Cleveland failed to close.
Cavs Collapse Late After Brief Lead
The Cavaliers did manage to wake up after trailing by as much as 12 in the third quarter. A spirited rally saw them take a brief 102-101 lead after a Max Strus free throw.
Then Haliburton buried a cold-blooded three.
Then Indiana went on a 15-4 run.
And then it was over.
Cleveland never recovered.
Mobley Plays Strong, But Not Enough
Cavs big man Evan Mobley had a solid night with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but Jarrett Allen struggled to contain Indianaโs stretch offense, and Darius Garlandโstill nursing a nagging toe injuryโlooked off rhythm, finishing with just 14 points on 6-of-17 shooting.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson was visibly frustrated postgame.
โWe had chances,โ he said. โWe didnโt execute.โ
Clevelandโs Hype Train Derails โ For Now
This loss stings. Badly.
The Cavaliers were betting favorites to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. They had home-court advantage, the leagueโs second-best three-point attack, and momentum from a 4-0 sweep of Miami.
And now? Theyโre down 0-1 at home, with Game 2 on Tuesday turning into a must-win situation.
If they drop another game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the pressure heading to Indiana will be enormous.
Pacers Have the Swagger โ And the Smarts
Indiana has now proven they can beat elite teams in tough environments. They took out Milwaukee. Now theyโve shocked Cleveland.
Coach Rick Carlisle, who just became the second-winningest active NBA coach, said the teamโs belief never wavered.
โWeโve got guys who love the challenge,โ he said. โThis isnโt a fluke. We came here to fight.โ
Game 2 Preview: Whatโs Next for Cleveland and Indiana
Game 2 tips off Tuesday night in Cleveland. The Cavaliers are already under pressure to respond.
What they must fix:
- Improve 3-point shooting โ 9-of-38 wonโt cut it
- Get Garland more involved early
- Tighten perimeter defense to slow Indianaโs hot hands
- Avoid letting Haliburton get comfortable
For the Pacers? Keep doing exactly what theyโre doing. Run, shoot, and trust the system.
Pacers Upset Cavs Game 1 and Set the Tone
The Pacers upset Cavs Game 1 in a performance that turned doubters into believers and put the Eastern Conference on red alert.
Cleveland now finds itself in a pressure cooker.
Indiana, on the other hand? Theyโre dancing.
Theyโve got swagger. Theyโve got depth. And now, theyโve got a real shot at knocking off the No. 1 seed.
Game 2 canโt come soon enough.
