Pacers Overcome 19-Point Hole to Oust Cavaliers
Talk about resilience—Indiana fans witnessed a wild turnaround as the Pacers clawed back from 19 down to topple the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 in a Game 5 shocker. With that win, Indiana broke through to the Eastern Conference Finals, punching a ticket not seen in a decade.
Things started off rough for the Pacers. Cleveland, propelled by Donovan Mitchell’s scoring rampage, raced ahead and looked totally in control. Mitchell, true to form, poured in 35 points and kept Indiana’s defense on its heels, especially during that explosive third quarter. The Cavaliers leaned on his offense, using his penetration to carve up Indiana and build what felt like an insurmountable lead. On the other end, Jared Allen and Evan Mobley offered size, but their offensive spark never quite caught fire and the Cavs failed to fully capitalize on their early momentum.
Andrew Nembhard Takes Center Stage
But Cleveland’s early dominance didn’t last. The momentum took a sharp turn thanks to Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard, who posted the best performance of his playoff career with 31 points and 8 assists. He brought a steady pace and smart shot selection, driving Indiana’s comeback while Myles Turner worked the paint and collected key boards. The Pacers started to find seams in Cleveland’s defense, exploiting mismatches on fast breaks and collecting defensive rebounds to fuel their transition game.
The final minutes were pure drama. The Cavaliers nursed a six-point cushion late in the fourth, but Mitchell’s usually reliable free throws betrayed him. With two big misses at the stripe just as the Cavs needed some breathing room, the door swung wide open for Indiana. The Pacers seized the moment, rolling off an 8-2 run sparked by a Nembhard jumper and some gritty late-game hustle from the supporting cast. Cleveland simply couldn’t answer back as time wound down.
This series wasn’t just about star power—it showcased the importance of collective execution. Indiana was relentless on both ends, turning missed opportunities by the Cavs into quick points. Everyone knew Mitchell could score, but as his teammates struggled to find a rhythm in crunch time, Indiana’s depth and Nembhard’s unexpected emergence made all the difference.
The Pacers head to the Eastern Conference Finals, riding the wave of their wild Game 5 comeback, with an unexpected playoff hero leading the charge. Cleveland, meanwhile, gets stuck thinking about what went wrong when it mattered most.