The Indiana Pacers started hot and held on late to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-112 on Sunday, defeating the Eastern Conference top seeds on their home floor to open their NBA second-round playoff series.
Andrew Nembhard drilled five of Indiana's 19 3-pointers on the way to a team-high 23 points and Tyrese Haliburton scored 22 points and handed out 13 assists for the Pacers, who had six players score in double figures.
"I thought we did a great job of starting the game the right way," said Haliburton, who had delivered the game-winner in the 119-118 overtime triumph that clinched the Pacers' first-round victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Pascal Siakam scored 10 of his 17 points in the first quarter as Indiana took a 36-25 lead.
The Pacers overcame a 33-point performance from Cavs star Donovan Mitchell and 17 turnovers of their own that led to 22 Cleveland points.
Indiana led 64-58 at halftime and had pushed the lead to 12 before the Cavaliers clawed back.
Cleveland took its first lead since the first quarter on Evan Mobley's hook shot with 3:16 left in the third quarter, which put the Cavs up 85-84.
Mobley added 20 points and 10 rebounds, but the Cavaliers clearly missed All-Star point guard Darius Garland, who missed a third straight game with a sprained toe.
Cleveland couldn't respond as Indiana put together a 15-4 scoring run to pull away again in the fourth quarter.
"We weathered the storm," Haliburton said. "I mean, they're the No. 1 team in the conference. They've got an unbelievable crowd. So they got into it and were willing their way back into the game. We just had to find a way to grow the lead.
"We did it by getting stops, getting out running and just playing Pacers basketball."
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