The Indiana Pacers defeated the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 121-112 Sunday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Pacers took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Indiana connected on 19 of 36 attempts from 3-point range. Cleveland shot 9 of 38 from beyond the arc, their lowest total this season. The Pacers finished with their second-most 3-point makes in postseason history.
Tyrese Haliburton made a go-ahead 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter. Haliburton finished with 22 points and 13 assists for the Pacers. He also blocked a shot by Max Strus late in the game, leading to a layup that pushed the lead to 10 points.
Andrew Nembhard added a playoff career-high 23 points and made five 3-pointers. Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam each scored 17 points. All five Pacers starters reached double figures in scoring.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 33 points. Mitchell broke an NBA playoff record, scoring at least 30 points in his eighth consecutive series opener.
Evan Mobley added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland. The Cavaliers trailed through much of the contest, took a brief lead in the fourth period, but could not maintain it.
The Pacers built a 12-point lead in the third quarter before the Cavaliers rallied. Cleveland took a 102-101 advantage on a free throw from Strus before Haliburton's 3-pointer ignited a decisive 15-4 run for Indiana.
A sequence late in the fourth quarter highlighted the game's flow. With under three minutes remaining, Mitchell missed a close shot. Myles Turner secured the rebound and advanced the ball quickly to Siakam, who finished with a layup. That score pushed the Pacers' lead to 114-106.
Cleveland's defense often appeared a step slow, reacting to Indiana's ball movement. The Cavaliers also struggled to contain drives and left shooters open at times. More Cavs coverage detailed defensive lapses during the game. The Cavaliers played without guard Darius Garland, who was out for Game 1.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night, again in Cleveland.
