Mitchell Powers Cavs to Victory Over Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS – Donovan Mitchell put on a spectacular show with 43 points and nine rebounds, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a convincing 126-104 win against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. This victory trimmed the Pacers’ series lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
It’s been interesting, hasn’t it? The trend in this series seems to favor the visiting teams, and the Pacers will have another chance to change that dynamic in Game 4 on Sunday.
Cleveland, eager to avoid a daunting 3-0 series deficit, came fully prepared. They made 14 three-pointers, dominated the boards with a 56-37 rebound advantage, and utilized a zone defense that effectively slowed down the Pacers’ offensive rhythm.
Mitchell also had some crucial help from Evan Mobley, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, alongside All-Star guard Darius Garland and backup De’andre Hunter, who all missed Game 2.
Max Strus contributed significantly as well, knocking down four shots from beyond the arc and finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
Other Cavaliers joined the scoring frenzy, with one player leading the way with 26 points. When the Pacers narrowed the gap to 11 points early in the fourth quarter, Cleveland managed to hold them off and maintain their lead.
Benedict Mathurin was the standout for the Pacers, scoring 23 points, while Pascal Siakam added 18. Tyrese Haliburton had a quiet night with just four points and five assists, marking his first postseason home loss.
This game was, arguably, the most physical of the series, with players regularly spilling onto the floor. An early collision involving Hunter was particularly intense, nearly resulting in a foul against Mitchell.
Interestingly, the Pacers racked up five technical fouls due to game delays, which added to the game’s intensity.
Throughout the match, Cleveland took control after surmounting a 36-36 tie and going on a 25-4 run, leading 66-45 at halftime.
As the third quarter progressed, Indiana fought back to make it 80-65 and seemed poised for a late-game comeback. Siakam hit a three that brought it to 104-93 with 8:24 left. But Mitchell and Strus quickly responded with back-to-back threes, essentially sealing the win for Cleveland.
