Thomas Bryant discusses the Pacers’ series-clinching win over the Cavs
Thomas Bryant scored nine points in five third-quarter minutes to help the Pacers to a 114-105 win over the Cavs in Game 5 of the East semis.
CLEVELAND — One moment, Thomas Bryant was catching a dish from Tyrese Haliburton in the dunker spot and getting ready to throw it down. The next he was flat on his back after Evan Mobley swatted his shot with the Cavs heading down the other way.
But in what could have been a low moment, the Pacers backup center and former IU star didn’t give up on the play. Instead he got back up and hustled down the floor, made a leaping play to high point, deflect and steal a pass from Cleveland’s Darius Garland and then took it the distance for a fast-break jam.
There was symbolism in that play, as it was yet another sign of the Pacers’ resiliency. The third quarter dunk put the Pacers up six points on their way to an Eastern Conference semifinals-clinching 114-105 win over the Cavs in a Game 5 they had trailed by as many as 19 points.
“There’s a lot of ups and downs throughout a basketball game, especially in a playoff game like this,” Bryant said. “I’m just happy I was able to make the read on the defensive end in order to help our team get the steal in order for us to get a bucket too.”
The steal and dunk started a bit of a personal rally for Bryant. Two plays later, he had another dunk on a dish from Haliburton. Then he had a third dunk when forward Obi Toppin took a pass in the mid-post, sucked up the defense and found Bryant cutting baseline. Then with 45 seconds to go in the period, Toppin drove down the lane and hit Bryant in the right corner with a kick-out pass and Bryant drilled a 3-pointer that gave the Pacers an 83-71 lead at the time.
All of those plays happened in the last 4:30 of the third quarter, but those four buckets were enough for Bryant to lead the Pacers’ bench in scoring with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting. He also managed three rebounds in the game and the Pacers were +4 in his 10:44.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, Bryant hadn’t scored more than six points or made more than one field goal in a game in these playoffs. He had 18 total points in the Pacers’ first nine playoff games and went scoreless in four of the nine games. But the Pacers needed Bryant in Game 5, and he came through.
“Thomas Bryant in the second half gave us some of the greatest minutes you can ask of a backup center,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He ran. He rebounded. The three in the right corner was enormous during a run where we were starting to get into their legs a little big. His enthusiasm, it just permeates our team.”
Bryant has had highs and lows with the Pacers this season, but they desperately needed someone to fill the backup center role behind Myles Turner when they lost backups James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson in the season’s first eight days to Achilles tendon tears.
Bryant was barely playing at all for the Miami Heat early in the season and the Heat were willing to trade him, but the teams couldn’t make the move until Dec. 15 according to league rules because he had just re-signed with them this offseason.
He played 15.8 minutes per game this season, scoring 6.9 points per game on 51.5% shooting and grabbed 3.9 rebounds, and the Pacers were thrilled with his enthusiasm even when his execution wasn’t the best.
Now, two years after winning a championship as a bench piece with the Denver Nuggets, the 27-year-old with his fifth NBA franchise is part of another deep playoff run.
“I told them from the start, even now I still believe the same thing, I just wanted to come in and contribute and not be detrimental to the team,’ Bryant said. “I’m happy that third quarter went my way and we were able to get this win against a very good Cavaliers team.”
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