Cavaliers collapse at home as Pacers crash the party and end Cleveland's season
Pacers' balanced attack overwhelms Cavs' fragile core
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Cleveland's one-man show falls short
Pacers' depth dismantles Cavs' dependency
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Fans at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse arrived with hope but left in disbelief as the Cleveland Cavaliers ' season came to a sudden halt. The Indiana Pacers stormed back from an early deficit to defeat the Cavs 114-105, winning the NBA Conference Semifinals series 4-1 and punching their ticket to the next round.The Cavaliers jumped out to a commanding 31-19 lead in the first quarter, but their energy fizzled as the Pacers settled in. By the second and third quarters, Indiana had flipped the script, outscoring Cleveland 33-25 and 33-20 to seize control.Also read: Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner turn it for Indiana Pacers against Cavaliers in Game 4 Indiana's star guard Tyrese Haliburton was the orchestrator of the night, dropping 31 points with 8 assists and 6 rebounds in 36 minutes. He was flanked by Pascal Siakam, who added 21 points, 8 boards, and 5 assists, showcasing the kind of veteran stability Cleveland sorely lacked.Andrew Nembhard quietly powered the backcourt with an efficient 18 points and 6 assists, while Aaron Nesmith dominated the glass with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double. Myles Turner chipped in 10 points and 7 rebounds, and the Pacers' bench added a crucial 21 points led by Thomas Bryant's 9.This team-wide contribution reflected in Indiana's 26 total assists and aggressive defense, including 8 steals and 8 blocks. Their ball movement and presence in the paint (50 points) were major playoff-caliber assets.Despite Donovan Mitchell 's explosive 35-point outing, Cleveland looked like a team grasping at straws. Evan Mobley did his part with 24 points and 11 rebounds, but outside of Darius Garland's 11 and De'Andre Hunter's 12 off the bench, the Cavaliers lacked support.Also read: NBA Playoffs 2025: Fans of Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and others can now watch games without cable access; here's how Max Strus delivered a puzzling stat line with 0 points in 26 minutes and Jarrett Allen was largely neutralized, managing only 9 points and 4 rebounds.The Cavaliers' inefficiencies told the tale: 38.9% shooting from the field, just 25.7% from deep, and only 15 team assists. Their 13 turnovers and defensive lapses sealed the loss.This wasn't just a loss, it was an unraveling. Indiana outplayed Cleveland in almost every playoff metric: scoring, defense, and ball movement. The Pacers now advance with momentum, while the Cavaliers are left to reassess a roster that leaned too heavily on its stars and folded when depth was needed most.
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