INDIANAPOLIS — Donovan Mitchell had 43 factors and 9 rebounds, and the lastly full-strength Cleveland Cavaliers beat Indiana 126-104 on Friday evening to chop the Pacers’ result in 2-1 within the Japanese Convention semifinals.
The street crew has received all three video games within the sequence, and the Pacers can have one other likelihood to interrupt that development Sunday in Recreation 4.
Cleveland was determined to keep away from falling right into a 3-0 gap and used every part in its arsenal to carry on this time — making 14 3-pointers, holding a 56-37 rebounding edge, even counting on zone protection to decelerate the high-scoring Pacers.
And with NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months Evan Mobley, All-Star guard Darius Garland and key backup De’Andre Hunter all suited up after lacking Recreation 2, Mitchell received the assist he wanted.
Max Strus made 4 3-pointers and completed with 20 factors, seven rebounds and 7 assists.
Three different Cleveland gamers additionally scored in double figures on an evening the Cavs led by as a lot 26, by no means trailed and managed to guard their late lead when the Pacers lower the deficit to 11 early within the fourth.
Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 factors.
Pascal Siakam had 18 and Tyrese Haliburton completed with 4 factors and 5 assists in his first profession residence loss in a postseason sport he’s appeared.
Essentially the most bodily of the three video games resulted in gamers routinely sprawled on the ground.
Hunter became a tough shoulder after making a basket early within the second quarter, a collision that just about knocked him down, and Mitchell took a nasty spill into the front-row seats whereas being referred to as for an offensive foul.
Tempers additionally flared at occasions with the Pacers drawing 5 technical fouls, one for a delay of sport.
On the court docket, although, Cleveland managed a lot of the sport after breaking a 36-36 tie with a 25-4 run that helped push the Cavs to a 66-45 halftime cushion.
Indiana lower it to 80-65 halfway by way of the third quarter and seemed prepared to tug off one other fourth-quarter rally when Siakam’s 3 with 8:24 to play made it 104-93.
However Mitchell and Strus answered with back-to-back 3s to steer a game-sealing cost.
