Pacers Overcome 19-Point Deficit to Knock Out Top Seed
The Indiana Pacers pulled off what almost nobody expected—toppling the Cleveland Cavaliers, the top seed in the East, with a hard-fought 114-105 win in Game 5 of the semifinals on Tuesday night. This sends Indiana to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in more than a decade. The victory didn’t come easily. Down by as much as 19 in the first half, Indiana looked like they were on the ropes as the Cavaliers rode their home crowd’s energy and Donovan Mitchell’s relentless drives to create early separation.
Indiana’s rough start had fans worrying. Their shooters were cold, and turnovers kept piling up. But all that changed mid-way through the third quarter. Suddenly, the Pacers’ defense woke up—tightening rotations, getting hands in passing lanes, and forcing the Cavaliers into rushed shots. Their star player, who ended the night with 31 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds, refused to let the season die. He repeatedly found lanes to the basket, nailed crucial threes, and set up teammates for easy buckets. His energy seemed contagious: Indiana’s role players started chipping in with timely defense and hustle plays, slowly chipping away at the deficit.
Cleveland Falters as Indiana Rises to the Moment
On Cleveland’s end, Donovan Mitchell tried to answer back. He showed flashes of why he’s the Cavs’ go-to guy, applying pressure on both ends and attacking the rim. For a while, it looked like he might single-handedly keep Cleveland in front. But cracks began to show. As the game wore on, Cleveland’s offense started to sputter. They turned the ball over 7 times in the fourth quarter alone and struggled to connect from deep, shooting just 29% from beyond the arc after halftime.
With less than four minutes left and the score knotted up, Indiana’s defense made its mark. Two steals in quick succession led to fast-break points, and suddenly the Pacers found themselves on an 8-2 run. The Cavaliers, desperate to claw back, kept taking tough shots—nothing seemed to fall their way. Frustration was written all over their faces as yet another possession ended with a Pacers rebound and a quick basket at the other end. The crowd went quiet, sensing the upset in progress.
As the final buzzer sounded, the Pacers tore off the bench in celebration. For the Cavaliers, the loss was a gut punch; their top-seeded campaign ended far sooner than anyone in Cleveland expected. Indiana, on the other hand, moves on—energized, battle-tested, and just four wins away from a trip to the NBA Finals. The city hasn’t seen this kind of playoff electricity in a long time, and fans are already buzzing about what comes next for this team that refused to quit.
