NBA Playoffs: Pacers Crush Cavaliers, Thunder Edge Nuggets in Tight Battles
The Indiana Pacers dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-109 on Sunday to take a strong 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, while the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 92-87 to level their Western Conference tie at 2-2.
Pacers Run Riot in Indianapolis
The Pacers took full control at home with a powerful second-quarter run, scoring 17 straight points and heading into halftime with a huge 80-39 lead. Cleveland, the top seed, were left shocked and trailing badly.
Pascal Siakam scored 21 points and led a team effort, with seven Indiana players finishing in double figures. Myles Turner and Obi Toppin both added 20 points, and Tyrese Haliburton contributed 11 points, including a clever no-look pass that delighted the home fans.
Indiana were just as strong defensively. They forced 22 turnovers and turned those into 35 points.
Things got worse for Cleveland when star guard Donovan Mitchell, who had scored 40 points in back-to-back games earlier in the series, picked up an ankle injury. He scored only 12 points in the first half before limping off. He was ruled doubtful for the rest of the game and will have a scan on Monday. It’s unclear if he’ll play in Game 5.
There was also some tension in the first quarter. Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin was sent off after hitting De’Andre Hunter in the chest. Hunter and Turner both received technical fouls during the incident.
“This team knows how to bounce back,” said Turner. “We got hit hard last game, but we hit back harder.”
Game 5 will be played in Cleveland on Tuesday, with the Cavaliers under pressure and possibly without their star player.
Thunder Defence Secures Crucial Win
In Denver, it was a tough and physical game with few points scored.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder with 25 points, six rebounds, and six assists as Oklahoma City battled their way to a gritty Game 4 victory. Neither team shot well – OKC hit 35.6% of their shots, while the Nuggets managed only 31.3%.
The Thunder made key plays late in the game. After falling behind by eight points in the fourth quarter, they took the lead with a big three-pointer from Cason Wallace with 8:35 left.
They then tightened up in defence and held Denver to only 18 points in the final quarter.
“We made the stops when it counted,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “It wasn’t a beautiful game, but we did what we had to do.”
Nikola Jokic scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, but didn’t get much help. Jamal Murray and Christian Braun both added 17 points for the Nuggets, who looked tired after their overtime win in Game 3.
“Both teams looked worn out,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman. “It was a scrappy game, and they just did a little more than us.”
Game 5 will take place in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, with the Thunder hoping to build on their momentum in what has become a physically demanding series.
