Indiana stuns Cavaliers in final seconds to secure 120-119 win & take 2-0 series lead
BY KEN KRIZNER
STAFF WRITER
(CLEVELAND, OH) -.For the third consecutive game, the Indiana Pacers controlled the final minute. As a result, they go to Indianapolis with a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals and a sensational season by the Cleveland Cavaliers sits on the brink.
Tyrese Haliburton hit a three-point shot with 1.1 seconds left to give the Pacers a come-from-behind 120-119 victory over the Cavaliers. It was Indiana’s first lead since early in the first period.
For the fourth straight game, Cleveland played without Darius Garland, out with a toe injury. In addition, Evan Mobley was ruled out of Game 2 with a left-ankle sprain as was De’Andre Hunter with a left thumb sprain.
The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell, was in control of the game for the first three periods building a 14-point lead going into the fourth period. But the Cavaliers made only one field goal in the first six minutes of the period as Indiana whittled down the lead.
Still, the Cavaliers led 118-112 with 57.6 seconds left after a Mitchell free throw.
But Indiana, as it did in its Game 1 victory against Cleveland and its Game 5 first-round victory over Milwaukee, completely dominated the final 60 seconds of the game, scoring the last eight points to stun the sellout crowd of 19,432.
The Cavaliers were hurt by Indiana offensive rebounds, including a Myles Turner putback dunk after two missed free throws by Pascal Siakam, and their inability to inbound the ball after made Pacers shot. On one such play, Mitchell was called for an offensive foul attempting to get around Siakam.
For most of the night, Mitchell dominated the game. He scored 48 points on 15-of-30 shooting. And defensively, the Cavaliers held Haliburton to only 8 points through three periods. But he scored 11 in the fourth period including the game-winner.
Turner and Aaron Nesmith each scored 23 points to lead Indiana. Max Strus scored 23 and Jarrett Allen scored 22 to back Mitchell. But the Cavaliers got little production from Isaac Okoro (five points), Dean Wade (three points) and Ty Jerome (two points) as they were looking to offset the missing offense supplied by Garland, Hunter and Mobley.
The Pacers raced out to a 7-2 lead early in the first period before the Cavaliers went on their own 7-2 run to tie the score at 9. Another 7-2 run by the Cavaliers gave them a 16-11 lead, forcing Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle to call time out with 4:52 left in the period.
The Pacers continued their physical play from Game 1. Donovan Mitchell was fouled on three straight trips into the lane, resulting in 6 points at the line.
In the first period, the Cavaliers did a better job of closing on Indiana three point attempts than Game One, one of which resulted in a shot-clock violation near the end of the first period.
Thanks to their relentless defense and Mitchell’s offense, the Cavaliers ended the first period on a 16-2 run to take a 32-15 lead into the second period. The Cavs forced nine first period Indiana turnovers.
Mitchell led the way with 12 points, followed by Sam Merrill with nine points.
Haliburton and Turner, who scorched the Cavaliers in Game 1, were held to two and four points each.
Wade started the second period with a three-pointer and more defense forced an Indiana turnover, helping Cleveland build a 20-point lead. But the Pacers went on their own run and closed to within 14 and forcing a Cleveland timeout. Struss came out of the timeout with a three-pointer.
With Garland out, the Cavaliers gave minutes to Craig Porter Jr. in the second period. Porter made Coach Kenny Atkinson’s decision a good one by playing solid defense that helped stop a Pacers basket, then stealing the ball and going in for a dunk at the other end.
Indiana began heating up from behind the three-point line to close to within single digits but three three-point shots by Strus help stop the Pacer run and gave the Cavs a 13-point lead with about five minutes to go in the first half.
Meanwhile, Mitchell was having his way going to the basket and the physical play continued. His relentless drives to the basket, including a thunderous dunk, with seconds left in the period, helped Cleveland to a 61-50 halftime lead.
Mitchell led all scorers in the first half with 21 points, while Strus had 14, including nine in the second period all from behind the arc, and Allen had 10. Turner led the Pacers with 15, while Halliburton, who came into the game as one of the hottest shooters in the playoffs, was held to 8 points.
Mitchell picks up where left off to begin the third period, including an up-and-under move that resulted in a three-point play. With Hunter, Mobley and Garland out, Mitchell put the offense on his back taking 21 shots in the game through two and ½ periods. But he hit is first and only three-point shot of the night early in the third period as he finished 1-of-7 from behind the arc. His 3 did give the Cavaliers a 17-point lead.
Mitchell came out of the game at the 6-minute mark and the Cavaliers leading by 17. When he returned with 2 minutes to go in the period, the lead was down to 12.
For three periods, Indiana had to work hard for its shots on many occasions thanks to the Cavaliers’ relentless defense. On numerous offensive possessions, the Pacers were forced to take shots to beat the 24-second clock.
Mitchell scored 7 after returning to the game, leading the Cavs to a 98-84 lead after three periods, as Cleveland outscored Indiana 37-34 in the third period.
But with Mitchell on the bench to start the fourth period, the Cavaliers went into an offensive funk. Allen scored their only basket in the first six minutes of the period. Meanwhile, Indiana picked up its pace on the offensive end, starting with a 5-0 run to get the Cleveland lead under 10.
A three-point play by Haliburton off a foul by Merrill cut the lead to 8. It was Haliburton’s first points since the first half and helped fuel a 10-2 Indiana run that brought the score to 100-94 with 7:37 to go.
Mitchell continued to attack the basket, reaching 40 points at the 6:43 mark of the fourth period. But the Pacers’ defense began to swarm Mitchell near the arc forcing him to give up the ball. Turnovers and second-chance points by the Pacers were also hurting Cleveland at this point.
Mitchell’s basket with 4:48 to go gave Cleveland a 106-98 lead. But a three-point play by Nembhard cut the lead to five. A Strus layup and two free throws by Okoro got the lead back to seven with 3:45 to go.
It appeared that Strus made the biggest play of the game, a three-pointer with 1:06 left as the shot clock wound down and Mitchell was double-teamed. That extended Cleveland’s lead to 7.
But led by Haliburton, the Pacers controlled the final 66 seconds of the game and put Cleveland in a 2-0 hole.
The series switches to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 3 on Friday at 7 p.m. and Game 4 on Sunday at 8 p.m. Game 5, if necessary, will be in Rocket Arena May 13
POSTED 05/06/2025 23:33
Lake County Sentinel
Photo by Tommy Shirer
