Thibaut Simon, Media365, published on Wednesday May 07, 2025 at 8:46 am
Indiana won for the second time in a row on the Cleveland prosecution (119-120) and made a thunderous start in this series (0-2).
The series between the Pacers and the Cavs does not lack suspense. Already winner in match 1 on the Cleveland prosecution (112-121), Indiana put the cover back, but this time in an unexpected scenario. Indiana has gathered a gap of 20 points, Tyrese Haliburton (19 points) turned into a savior with a three points a second from the end and the Pacers will return to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a 2-0 in their favor. Donovan Mitchell’s XXL match – 48 points at 50% shooting, 9 assists, 4 interceptions – was not enough. This is the third time with the last regular season match that the Pacers won in Ohio.
A rise orchestricated by Haliburton
17 points ahead after 12 minutes (32-15) in favor of Cleveland, the absences of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter were forgotten. The keys to the match were given to Donovan Mitchell, who hastened to put the riders on the right rails. 12 points in the first quarter, a significant gap and an almost forgotten match 1. Author of a huge dunk on Siakam (59-49) at the end of the second quarter, Mitchell raised the room, which did not expect a single moment on the return from Indiana.
In his work, Mitchell saw his compatriots Max Strus (23 points, 5/12 with three points) and Jarrett Allen (22 points, 12 rebounds) come to support him. For her part, Indiana returned to eight points in the second quarter (57-49), never had her opponent vacillated especially since the gap left. 20 points in the third quarter (81-61), 14 at the dawn of the last 12 minutes (98-84), Cleveland had to make sure to equalize in this series. Except that Tyrese Haliburton decided otherwise. A three points from Nesmith (110-106) put the Pacers in the match. With seven points a minute from the end of the match following the two Mitchell throws, Indiana air conditioned the Cavs audience. Haliburton was missing his second throw and recovered the ball and then put a three point on the head of Ty Jerome (119-120).
