The Indiana Pacers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-119 on Tuesday, securing a two-game lead in their playoff series after trailing by seven points in the final minute of regulation. The victory marks the second improbable comeback for the Pacers this postseason.
NBA teams have a combined record of 3-1,640 when holding a lead of at least seven points in the last minute of the fourth quarter or overtime since the 1997-98 season. The Pacers account for two of those three wins, including their first-round victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Tyrese Haliburton played a deciding role in the late stages of the game. He grabbed his own missed free throw and then made a game-winning three-point shot, becoming the only NBA player in the last 20 years to achieve this in the final 15 seconds of a game, across both the regular season and playoffs.
Before the Pacers’ late surge, Donovan Mitchell carried the Cavaliers offense. Dealing with teammates out due to injury, Mitchell scored 48 points, shooting 15-of-30 from the field and adding nine assists. Despite his performance, the Cavaliers lost after holding the lead in the final minute. Mitchell attacked the paint area and converted 17 of 21 free throws.
The Cavaliers played without Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and De'Andre Hunter. Their status for upcoming games remains uncertain. Cleveland's injuries present a challenge as the series shifts to Indiana.
Indiana also received contributions from Aaron Nesmith, who scored 15 of his 23 points in the second half. Nesmith completed a putback dunk and drew an offensive foul during the team's final 8-0 scoring run. Max Strus committed a turnover late in the game that helped set up the Pacers' opportunity.
Turnovers continue as an issue for the Pacers, who finished with 18 in Game 2. Nine of those turnovers occurred in the first quarter. Despite this, the team found ways to close the game.
The Pacers' ability to finish games contrasts with their clutch performance from last season. This year, they finished the regular season 24-14 in games defined as clutch by the NBA and are 3-0 in such scenarios during the playoffs. The Pacers comeback against the Cavaliers occurred despite Cleveland holding a high win probability in the final minute.
