At the Buzzer: R2G2 — Pacers 120, Cavs 119
Tyrese Haliburton rebounded his own free throw, then sank a 3-pointer to complete an absurd comeback in Cleveland, which gives the Pacers a 2-0 series lead heading back to Indy.
After taking Game 1 on Sunday, the Pacers were eager for more.
This is a group that’s not content, but rather driven to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals. Going up 2-0 on the road will go a long way toward that goal.
The Cavaliers had three key players on the injury report and all three were unable to go — so they were without Darius Garland (left great big toe sprain), Evan Mobley (left ankle sprain), and De'Andre Hunter (right thumb sprain).
Ty Jerome and Dean Wade started in place of Garland and Mobley — the Defensive Player of the Year — respectively.
The game officials were Tony Brothers, David Guthrie, Nick Buchert, Eric Dalen (alternate)
OKC’s Sam Presti was voted Executive of the Year by his peers. Cavs’ Koby Altman finished second, Pistons’ Trajan Langdon in third. Pacers did not receive a vote.
Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson was voted NBA Coach of the Year for his first year in Cleveland. He was awarded it on Monday. J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons), and Ime Udoka (Rockets) finished second and third, respectively.
Atkinson made his feelings abundantly clear after Game 1 and before this one about how physical the Pacers played them, and expressed his frustration with both Mobley and Hunter suffering injuries in the game.
The TNT announcing crew: Spero Dedes, Greg Anthony, and Jared Greenberg.
In case you missed my tweet from before Game 1: Pacers Sports & Entertainment chartered multiple buses to Cleveland for employees and provided them with tickets to support the team. Well done by CEO Mel Raines & Co.
Calendar note: IF the Pacers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, they will host Game 3 on Sunday, May 25 — same day as the Indianapolis 500. … Pacers & racers in Indy.
Sports books favored the Cavs by 10 points before Cavs shootaround. Then before the game, it dipped to 5.5 — but they were still favored despite being down three key players. You could get the Pacers +200 ML before tip-off.
Watch my live postgame show in the media player below:
🏀How it happened: With three notable absences, the tendency is for a team to take it easy. But I don’t expect the Pacers to let off the gas, given their history in situations like this.
They just have to look back to Game 82 of the season when they fell behind by 27 points and needed double overtime to beat the Cavs’ third unit in what secured a 50-win Pacers season. That game was also in Cleveland, and the Pacers needed similar heroics to get it done.
The Pacers absorbed early blows in the first half and it took time for them to respond. They led 9-4 to start, but then the Cavs raced ahead on a 28-6 run and more than doubled up the Pacers after 1, 32-15.
The team then became concerned early in the second when Haliburton absorbed a hit and was visibly uncomfortable, holding his left wrist. He stayed in the game, made a 3-pointer one minute later as Max Strus defended him full-court. That led to Andrew Nembhard being the primary ball-handler more often.
Here’s the moment it happened.
Sideline reporter Jared Greenberg reported before the second half that Haliburton got X-rays and there was even more tape wrapped around the wrist. Then he went on to play 36 minutes.
“It's fine,” he said postgame. “Obviously a little sore. (Cavs) said they were going to ramp up the physicality. They did. We're not crying, just coming out here to play basketball.”
When he first went to the free throw line, fans in Cleveland kept the “over-rated!” chant going. TNT cameras showed Donovan Mitchell trying to stop it and quiet them down, much like a quarterback to the crowd. He knows Haliburton is fueled off others.
After cutting the deficit to 11 by halftime, the Pacers were slow out of the half. They saw the Cavs grow the lead back to 20, 81-61. That’s when key minutes from Bennedict Mathurin came in. He had a 10-point third quarter as the Cavs scored 37 points on them, including 15 from Mitchell.
Mitchell was spectacular, but he scored all but three of his points inside the paint. He was just 1 for 7 from distance.
Like the Pacers have done all season when digging themselves big holes, they slowly climbed their way out of it. There were multiple and-1s, a huge 3-pointer in the corner from Aaron Nesmith, who does it all for this team.
Just as it felt like the game was slipping away, the Cavs up 119-112 with 57.6 seconds to go, then were outscored 8-0 the rest of the way. Haliburton will get the attention for the game-winning 3 after Myles Turner (23 points) tipped the rebound to him, then Haliburton’s memorable celebration — but this was a total team win.
That’s who they are. That’s how they were built.
🏀What it means: The Pacers just need to win two more games — and they’ll get up to five tries to do so. They return home to Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.