1. First Quarter

For the ninth consecutive playoff game, the Indiana Pacers started Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner. Tonight marked the second consecutive game for the Cleveland Cavaliers starting Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Indiana struggled in the first three games against Cleveland to start games. The Pacers looked much more like the team we saw in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks. Cleveland scored five straight points after Indiana did to start the game, and then the Pacers flexed their muscle. They went on a 17-5 run to take their first double digit lead of the contest with an Obi Toppin triple. That came after a lengthy delay because of Bennedict Mathurin being ejected for delivering a “punch” on De’Andre Hunter. The largest lead for the Pacers in the quarter was twenty-one points when Thomas Bryant drilled a three in front of the Cleveland bench. After the end of the quarter, Indiana’s advantage was 38-23. Toppin led Indiana in scoring with 7 points in the quarter, but they had five different players with at least 5 points. Haliburton was stuffing the stat sheet in the first quarter with 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Indiana held Cleveland to 4/15 (26.7%) shooting from the field and 3/8 (37.5%) from three-point range while shooting 14/26 (53.7%) from the field and 6/10 (60%) from three-point range.

2. Second Quarter

After scoring 38 points in the first quarter, it was going to be a daunting task for the Pacers to top that, but they would find a way to do that in an electric second quarter. Indiana was able to slightly extend its lead in the first three minutes by pushing the advantage to twenty-five points. Cleveland would not cut the deficit under twenty points after Indiana took a twenty-point lead. The Cavs drew within twenty-four points twice in the quarter, with the second occasion coming with 3:16 left in the half. Catching fire would be an understatement as to what happened the rest of the way for the Pacers. They scored almost as many points in the final 3:16 as they did in the previous 8:44. Indiana’s run started with Turner scoring a layup and then it was a tsunami. Nesmith scored a fadeaway jumper, Turner drilled a triple, Haliburton made a technical foul free throw and then splashed a thirty-footer, Turner hit back-to-back deep threes, and then Nesmith knocked down a fadeaway jumper as the first half ended. The run for the Pacers was 19-2 and they were ahead 80-39. Indiana’s run in the final 3:16 was 19-2, and their 41-point halftime lead tied an NBA record. In the quarter, Indiana shot 16/24 (66.7%) from the field and 6/8 (75%) from three-point range. Cleveland was just 4/17 (23.5%) from the field and 2/11 (18.2%) from distance. Indiana’s leading scorer was Turner with 13 points in the quarter and Siakam added another 8 points, bringing his first half total to 18 points, leading all players.

3. Third Quarter

While warming up for the start of the second half, Mitchell suffered an apparent ankle injury and went back to the locker room. He never returned to the game and will undergo further testing tomorrow. Indiana extended its lead to a game high 44 points when Siakam started the second half scoring with a three-point play. Indiana maintained its forty-point advantage for the first four minutes of the period, but never let Cleveland go on any big runs. The Cavs drew within 32 points when Garland knocked down a free throw line floater. The Pacers pushed the lead back to 38 points and ultimately led 109-77 after thirty-six minutes of play. Garland got going for Cleveland, scoring the most points by any player with 12 points in the period. Indiana was led by Siakam with 9 points. Indiana had three players with at least 20 points (Turner, Toppin, and Siakam). The leader out of those three was Siakam with 21 points. Tying him for the most points in the game was Garland.

4. Fourth Quarter

With the game out of hand, there was only one starter from either team to play in the final twelve minutes. Nembhard was out there for 1:39 for the Pacers and then was subbed out of the game. Rick Carlisle elected to primarily play Johnny Furphy, Ben Sheppard, Jarace Walker, Tony Bradley, and James Johnson. The rest of the minutes were distributed to McConnell and Bryant. Indiana maintained a thirty-point lead for most of the quarter, but Cleveland closed the game by outscoring the Pacers 14-4 to make the game look closer than it really was. Indiana takes a 3-1 series lead with a commanding 129-109 victory over Cleveland. Sheppard paced Indiana in scoring with 9 points in the final quarter. Jaylon Tyson led all players with 11 points in the period.

5. Top Performers

Pascal Siakam (21p, 6r, 3a), Myles Turner (20p, 7r, 3a), Obi Toppin (20p, 5r), Ben Sheppard (14p), T.J. McConnell (13p, 8a), Aaron Nesmith (12p, 4a), and Tyrese Haliburton (11p, 5r, 5a). For Cleveland, Darius Garland (21p, 6a), Isaac Okoro (13p), Donovan Mitchell (12p), Max Strus (11p, 6r, 3a), and Evan Mobley (10p, 5r). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

• Indiana is now 10-1 at home in the playoffs with Tyrese Haliburton
• Indiana has won 10 consecutive games after losing by 10+
• Indiana has now won on Mother’s Day in back-to-back years by 20+ points (32 vs NYK last year)
• Indiana’s 44-point lead in the third quarter it the largest lead in franchise history in the playoffs
• Indiana’s 37 assists are the most for a team in the playoffs this year
• Indiana streak of 6 games with at least 12 turnovers has been snapped
• Indiana hasn’t lost back-to-back games since March 8th and 10th
• When the road team wins the first 2 games on the road, then splits their home games to go ahead 3-1, they are 11-0 all time since 1984
• Ben Sheppard’s 14 points a new playoff career high
• Darius Garland has scored 20+ points 3 of the 4 playoffs games he’s played in
  • Garland has scored 20+ points in 9 playoff games in his career
• Donovan Mitchell’s 12 points are the fewest points in a playoff game this season
• Jarrett Allen’s 2 points tied the fewest points in a playoff game in his career
• Myles Turner has scored 20+ points in 4 games this postseason
  • Turner has scored 20+ points in 13 playoff games in his career
• Obi Toppin scored 20+ points in his first playoff game this postseason
  • Toppin has scored 20+ points in 3 playoff games in his career
• Pascal Siakam has scored 20+ points in 4 games this postseason
  • Siakam has scored 20+ points in 32 playoff games in his career

7. Next Up

The two teams will have one day off between game four and game five. Donovan Mitchell will undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine the severity of his ankle injury per Kenny Atkinson after the game. Pat Boylan will start things at 6:30pm on Tuesday night and then Mark Boyle will have the play-by-play with Eddie Gill at 7pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.