Donovan Mitchell Shines, but Cavaliers Collapse in Loss to Pacers in Game 2

Donovan Mitchell scores 48 points, but the Cavaliers lose 120-119 to the Pacers in Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.

May 4, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) dunks during the second half against the Indiana Pacers in game one of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Playing shorthanded on Tuesday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers needed a playoff-caliber performance from Donovan Mitchell to keep pace with the Indiana Pacers. Mitchell delivered for the the Cavs, but his 48 points weren't enough, as Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton drained a three-pointer in the game's final seconds to secure the victory—and a 2-0 lead in the series.

Mitchell shot 15-of-30 from the field and 17-of-21 from the free-throw line, adding nine assists, five rebounds and four steals. He scored 21 points by halftime and 36 points through three quarters, guiding Cleveland to a seven-point lead with less than a minute remaining in Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.

Donovan Mitchell was INCREDIBLE in Game 2 👏

🕷️ 48 points
🕷️ 9 assists
🕷️ 4 steals

Left it all on the floor. pic.twitter.com/gehZOBfKpP

— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2025

But the game quickly turned, as Indiana mounted an 8-0 run which culminated in heartbreak for Cleveland fans, and a 120-119 win for the visiting Pacers. Key moments included an offensive foul on Mitchell and a critical turnover by Max Strus on an inbounds pass.

With Cleveland's lead cut to three points, and 12.4 seconds remaining on the clock, Haliburton was fouled and made his first free throw. He intentionally missed his second attempt but secured the offensive rebound and hit a step-back 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to give Indiana the lead—and the win.

With Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, Darius Garland and De'Andre Hunter all sidelined due to injury, the Cavaliers relied heavily on Mitchell throughout the contest. Still, the star faulted himself after the game for Cleveland's last-minute collapse, including Haliburton's offensive rebound.

"I should have grabbed the ball," Mitchell told reporters. "I was right there. That's on me." He also addressed the late offensive foul: "I tried to be strong with the ball. I knew they were going to trap... but the elbow was too high."

Watch Donovan Mitchell's Full Post-Game Press Conference Here:

The series now shifts to Indiana for Game 3 on Friday night. "We've got to go get two in Indy. Simple as that," Mitchell said. "We can sit here and dwell on this and be home in about four or five days, or we can move on and take some things that we did really well and go from there."

The Cavaliers have overcome 0-2 deficits three times in franchise history, most notably in the 2016 NBA Finals. But after Tuesday's painful loss, Cleveland must regroup quickly or risk an early exit.