CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers had already clinched a spot in the NBA playoffs, and they inched closer toward securing home-court advantage with a 117-108 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, April 5, at Rocket Arena.
On Easter Sunday, the Cavs reduced their magic number to capture home court in the first round of the playoffs to one. If the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks were to lose on Monday, April 6, to the New York Knicks, it would do the trick for Cleveland.
Here’s how Cavs (49-29) versus Pacers (18-60) unfolded through our updates:
Guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with a game-high 38 points. Mitchell added six rebounds and six assists.
Point guard James Harden added 28 points and seven assists for the Cavs. Backup center Thomas Bryant contributed a double-double (14 points and 10 rebounds) against his former Pacers team. Wing Keon Ellis had 13 points.
Pacers forwards Micah Potter and Obi Toppin scored 21 points apiece to lead Indiana. Potter grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
Cavs center Thomas Bryant, formerly of the Pacers, dunked on Indiana forward Micah Potter with 3:12 left in the fourth quarter. The highlight gave Cleveland a 115-102 lead, and Bryant celebrated like a madman.
With 4:12 remaining, Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell delivered the proverbial dagger by draining a 3-pointer to give Cleveland a 111-102 advantage.
Point guard James Harden made two foul shots and then drained a 3-pointer on Cleveland’s next possession, giving the Cavs a 106-96 lead with 7:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Cavs used a timeout, though, after the Pacers countered and cut their deficit to 106-100 with 5:21 left. Guard Quenton Jackson made a jump shot to reduce Cleveland’s advantage to six points.
Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell was fired up after Cleveland went ahead 101-96 with 8:52 left in the fourth quarter.
A goaltending violation on the Pacers as Mitchell attempted a layup gave the Cavs the five-point lead. The Pacers resorted to using a timeout.
Forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin made an open corner 3-pointer on an assist from guard Craig Porter Jr., giving the Cavs a 99-96 edge with 9:30 remaining.
The Cavs trailed the Pacers 91-90 at the end of the third quarter.
Guard Donovan Mitchell made a layup with 2.7 seconds left to trim Cleveland’s deficit to a point. Mitchell had 26 points through the first three quarters, and Cavs point guard James Harden had 21 points.
Late in the third quarter, Mitchell executed a nasty crossover before making a floater. The move caused Pacers forward Micah Potter to step on the foot of teammate Kobe Brown and fall to the floor. Potter and forward Obi Toppin had 19 points apiece entering the fourth quarter.
Guard Donovan Mitchell gave the Cavs their first lead of the game with 10:45 left in the third quarter when he made a corner 3-pointer on an assist from small forward Max Strus.
Mitchell’s 3 gave the Cavs a 61-60 edge.
Cavs small forward Max Strus returned to the game, starting the second half after leaving in the second quarter with an injury (see more below).
Strus had his left wrist taped upon his return.
The Cavs trailed the Pacers 58-55 at halftime. The Cavs did not lead at any point in the first half.
Pacers guard Quenton Jackson made a jump shot with 3.5 seconds left to give Indiana a three-point lead after Cavs center Thomas Bryant cut Cleveland’s deficit to 56-55 with a putback.
Point guard James Harden led the Cavs with 19 points in the first half, followed by guard Donovan Mitchell with 15 points (plus six rebounds). Bryant had nine points.
Forwards Jalen Slawson and Micah Potter scored 14 points apiece to lead the Pacers. Potter also grabbed seven rebounds.
With 2:20 left in the second quarter, Cavs small forward Max Strus walked into the tunnel leading to Cleveland’s locker room with members of the team’s medical staff.
Strus had been grabbing and flexing his left hand or wrist before he exited the game. He suffered the injury while guarding Pacers forward Micah Potter near the right elbow with about 2:46 remaining in the first half.
The Pacers led the Cavs 47-35 with 7:56 left in the second quarter, when guard Quenton Jackson made a pair of free throws.
With 7:11 left, point guard James Harden produced a four-point play, draining a 3-pointer and then making the subsequent free throw after forward Micah Potter (Mentor native) fouled him. Harden’s highlight cut Cleveland’s deficit to 47-39.
New Browns head coach Todd Monken was introduced to the Cleveland crowd between the first and second quarters of Cavs versus Pacers.
Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell figured out the Pacers aren’t going to put up much of a fight to prevent him from driving to the basket. He scored 11 points in the first quarter, and the Cavs trailed 32-31 at the end of the opening quarter after they had fallen behind by as many as 10 points. Mitchell also missed a layup at the buzzer.
Forward Jalen Slawson led the Pacers with nine points in the first quarter.
The Pacers went 8-of-13 shooting on 3-pointers (61.5%) in the opening quarter.
After falling behind 20-10, the Cavs decided to repeatedly attack the basket on offense. The Pacers were content to give them a highway to the rim.
Guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden made layups before center Thomas Bryant dunked and Mitchell did the layup thing again. The Pacers led 23-18 during a timeout with 5:45 left in the first quarter.
Please don’t freak out if you’ve heard this before: The Cavs aren’t going to win any meaningful games if they don’t defend. Well, they might not win this game, either, unless they defend better than they did early in the first quarter.
With 7:24 left in the opening quarter, the Cavs trailed the Pacers 20-10. The Pacers started the game 6-of-8 shooting on 3-pointers.
Below is some pregame information.
The Cavs ruled out the following players: center Jarrett Allen (right knee injury management), guard Sam Merrill (left hamstring injury management), forward Evan Mobley (left calf injury management), wing Jaylon Tyson (left big toe bone bruise) and forward Dean Wade (right ankle sprain).
The Pacers have ruled out the following players: guard Johnny Furphy (right ACL tear), guard Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles tendon tear), guard T.J. McConnell (hamstring injury management), guard-forward Andrew Nembhard (back injury management), guard-forward Aaron Nesmith (cervical strain), forward Pascal Siakam (left ankle sprain) and center Ivica Zubac (rib fracture).
The Pacers initially listed guard Ben Sheppard (right hip sprain) and forward Jarace Walker (sacral contusion) as questionable to play, but they later ruled out both players.
Of course, the Pacers ended the Cavs’ 2024-25 season with a 4-1 victory in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals nearly a year ago. The Pacers went all the way to Game 7 of the NBA Finals, when Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon and the Oklahoma City Thunder prevailed to win the championship.
This season, the Cavs have won their first three games against the Pacers. With a win on Easter, the Cavs would earn their first four-game regular-season season sweep against the Pacers since 2021-22.
The Cavs are 107-111 in their all-time regular-season series against the Pacers.
Here are the players the Cavs will start against the Pacers:
- Point guard James Harden
- Guard Donovan Mitchell
- Wing Keon Ellis
- Forward Max Strus
- Center Thomas Bryant
How can I watch Cavs vs. Pacers today? Cleveland Cavaliers’ radio, streaming, broadcast information
The April 5 game between the Cavs and Pacers will be televised locally by FanDuel Sports Network — Ohio. The local radio broadcast can be heard via WTAM (1100-AM) or WMMS (100.7-FM).
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
