INDIANAPOLIS โ The Indiana Pacers were determined to bounce back after spending two days searching for answers against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. Their efforts culminated in a decisive victory on Sunday.
The Pacers, led by Pascal Siakam who scored 21 points, and contributions from Myles Turner and Obi Toppin with 20 points each, leveled an NBA playoff record by achieving a staggering 41-point halftime lead before ultimately routing the Cavaliers 129-109. This triumph propels Indiana to a 3-1 lead in the series. The fourth-seeded Pacers now have the opportunity to secure their spot in the next round if they win in Cleveland on Tuesday, a place where they have already clinched two victories.
โWe havenโt accomplished anything yet,โ remarked coach Rick Carlisle, marking his 33rd playoff victory with Indiana, surpassing Larry Bird for the most in the franchiseโs NBA history. โWeโre approaching this as if we have everything to prove. We recognize that people doubt us, so we intend to stay in the fight and keep battling.โ
The Pacers exhibited tenacity following a humiliating 22-point defeat on their home ground just two days prior, a game where Cleveland contained Tyrese Haliburton to a mere four points and five assists. This time, Indianaโs determined home crowd cheered them on from the outset of a vigorous and sometimes feisty matchup.
Indiana established a 44-point advantage before pausing for an 80-39 halftime lead, matching a previous league-best since detailed play-by-play records began. The record was originally set by the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference finals against Boston.
Remarkably, Indiana dominated without one of its most potent scorers, Bennedict Mathurin, who was expelled for a Flagrant 2 foul merely 7 1/2 minutes into the game. The Cavaliers, suffering from the loss of Donovan Mitchell after the first half due to a left ankle injury, struggled to pose a challenge.
Darius Garland emerged as the top scorer for Cleveland with 21 points, playing his second game since recovering from a toe injury, while Mitchell settled with 12 points. Coach Kenny Atkinson noted that Mitchell was scheduled for an MRI on Monday.
โComplete domination by them,โ Atkinson stated briefly, later adding that Cleveland still had the chance to play two of the remaining three games on their home court. โThey dominated us in every aspect of the game.โ
Indiana quickly took command with initial runs of 11-2 and 13-0, building a substantial 48-23 advantage with 9:24 remaining in the first half. The Pacers maintained their momentum, concluding the half with a 19-2 streak. Aaron Nesmith capped off the period with a buzzer-beating midrange shot, placing Indiana in an exclusive group as the 10th team in playoff history, and the second this week, to score 80 points in the first half of a playoff game; Oklahoma City reached 87 points against Denver in Game 2.
Turner excelled, connecting on all four of his 3-point attempts with Indianapolis notable figures like Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, WNBA Rookies of the Year Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, and former NFL star Reggie Wayne in attendance.
โWe felt they established the physical tone last game,โ said Haliburton, who concluded with 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists. โToday, we came out determined to set the tone from the start, and we really rode that wave.โ