{"id":26710,"date":"2025-05-12T05:36:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T05:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/26710\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T05:36:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T05:36:11","slug":"no-1-seed-cleveland-cavaliers-on-the-brink-of-nba-playoff-heartbreak-as-pacers-shine-in-history-making-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/26710\/","title":{"rendered":"No 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers on the brink of NBA playoff heartbreak as Pacers shine in history-making win"},"content":{"rendered":"

By BEN NAGLE<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 23:42 EDT, 11 May 2025 | Updated: 23:48 EDT, 11 May 2025 <\/p>\n

The Indiana<\/a> Pacers are one game away from knocking out the No 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> after a record-breaking win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pascal Siakam scored 21 points and the Pacers tied an NBA<\/a> playoff record by taking a 41-point halftime lead, before seeing out the game 129-109 for a 3-1 series lead.<\/p>\n

The Pacers can earn a second straight trip to the East finals with a victory Tuesday in Cleveland, where they won the first two games.<\/p>\n

Among the big names watching the action was another Indiana sporting superstar in Caitlin Clark<\/a>, taking some time out from the WNBA<\/a>‘s Fever to watch her male counterparts in action.<\/p>\n

She cheered as Indiana\u00a0jumped to an 80-39 lead at halftime and led by 44 points. The 41-point lead matched the margin Cleveland set in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference finals against Boston, according to Sportradar.<\/p>\n

And Indiana did it mostly without Bennedict Mathurin, one of its top playoff scorers, who was ejected just seven-and-a-half minutes into the game for a flagrant foul.<\/p>\n

\"Tyrese <\/p>\n

Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers are a game away from knocking Cleveland out of the playoffs\u00a0<\/p>\n

Darius Garland led the Cavs with 21 points and Donovan Mitchell had 17 points despite not playing in the second half because of a left ankle injury. Coach Kenny Atkinson said his All-Star guard would have an MRI exam Monday.<\/p>\n

For the Pacers, it was a redeeming moment in front of a towel-waving home crowd just two days after an embarrassing 22-point loss on its home court. The Cavs dominated the glass, held two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton to four points and five assists and fought harder than Indiana.<\/p>\n

This time, the Pacers left no doubt about who would be the aggressor.<\/p>\n

\"Pascal <\/p>\n

Pascal Siakam had 21 points in a remarkable win for Indiana over their Eastern conference rival<\/p>\n

Indiana took control quickly with early runs of 11-2 and 13-0 to build a commanding 48-23 lead with 9:24 left in the first half. They didn’t stop – or back down – there, either, closing the half on a 19-2 run.<\/p>\n

Aaron Nesmith’s buzzer-beating midrange jumper put the Pacers in another exclusive club – the 10th team in playoff history and second this week to score 80 points in the first half of a playoff game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oklahoma City scored 87 points in Game 2 against Denver.<\/p>\n

Myles Turner made all four of his 3-point attempts and scored 20 points, as did Obi Toppin.<\/p>\n

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