CLEVELAND, Ohio — The road to the conference finals no longer goes through Cleveland. The top-seeded Cavs suffered a setback in their NBA playoff journey, losing their first game to the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, with a final score of 121-112 at the stunned Rocket Arena. With this defeat, Cleveland has relinquished their homecourt advantage in this best-of-seven series.
“They outplayed us,” remarked Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson. “Gotta give them credit, simple as that.” In the week leading up to Game 1, the Cavs spoke highly of the Pacers, acknowledging the challenge they posed, particularly on the defensive end. Key terms like pace, speed, movement, spacing, and skill highlighted their preparation. However, after an impressive series against an overmatched Miami team in Round One, the Cavs found themselves struggling against the Pacers’ relentless style of play.
Playing without All-Star point guard Darius Garland, who has been the team's leading scorer during the postseason, the Cavs’ top-rated offense struggled to keep pace. The Pacers showcased their depth, firepower, balance, and experience, leaving Cleveland unable to match their intensity. “This isn’t Miami anymore. This series requires something more,” Atkinson noted, recognizing that the Cavs faced a different level of competition.
“It took us a while to figure out their speed,” Atkinson admitted. “In the beginning, they had us kind of in the blender a little bit. And then their shot-making was otherworldly.” Garland missed his third consecutive playoff game due to a sprained big toe, putting even more pressure on MVP candidate Donovan Mitchell. Despite struggling with injuries throughout the second half, Mitchell attempted to lead Cleveland to victory but ultimately fell short.
The Cavs, who had trailed the Miami Heat for just 17 minutes in their previous series, found themselves behind for nearly the entire game against the Pacers, specifically for 40 minutes and 57 seconds. Playing from behind against a strategically sound Indiana team is not a recipe for success. The Pacers held a game-high 12-point lead around the seven-minute mark of the third quarter, fueled by a critical three-pointer from Aaron Nesmith, prompting Cleveland to call a timeout to regroup.
In response, the Cavs launched a remarkable 20-4 run, taking their first lead of the game by four points, which was their largest advantage of the night. The atmosphere in the arena was electric, with fans waving white towels in support. However, the seasoned Pacers maintained their composure and ended the third quarter with a two-point lead. The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair, featuring six lead changes and one tie, but the Cavs’ final surge fell short.
Mitchell led all scorers with 33 points on 13 of 30 shooting, including a challenging 1 of 11 from three-point range. This marked his eighth consecutive 30-point game to start a playoff series, surpassing the legendary Michael Jordan for the longest streak in NBA history. “Jordan won Game 1. I didn’t,” Mitchell quipped, acknowledging the significance of the loss. “They came in here and handled business. We would love to go 16-0, but that’s not how this works. Nothing to hang our heads about. We’ll be fine and we’ll be better.”
Evan Mobley, who received his NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophy before the game, contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ty Jerome added 21 points off the bench, but it was the Pacers’ balanced attack that truly shone. Indiana had six players scoring in double figures, led by Andrew Nembhard with 23 points on an efficient 7 of 10 shooting and 5 of 6 from three-point range. Tyrese Haliburton also had a standout performance, recording 22 points and 13 assists, dictating the tempo throughout the game.
The Pacers shot an impressive 44 of 83 (53%) from the field and 19 of 36 (52.8%) from three-point range, while also dishing out 30 assists and matching the Cavs on the boards. Conversely, Cleveland struggled with their shooting, making just nine three-pointers—their fewest of the season—and recording their second-worst three-point percentage at 23.7%.
With homecourt advantage lost and their perfect playoff record now a thing of the past, the Cavs must rise to the occasion and respond to this loss. “This is an uphill battle,” Mitchell stated. “It’s always going to be. It’s the playoffs. This is an experienced basketball team. They’re not going to waver. They’ve been there before. This is what it’s about. Mentally, physically, continually going and going and going. They hit first, and we’ve got to respond.”
The Cavs will host the Indiana Pacers for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. This game will be crucial for Cleveland as they look to bounce back and regain momentum in the series.
