NBA Releases Start Date for Pacers vs. Cavaliers Second Round Matchup

Ricardo Klein | Apr 29, 2025

Apr 10, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) passes the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers punched their ticket to the second round of the playoffs on Tuesday with a win over division foe, the Milwaukee Bucks.

For the second straight year, Indiana is moving on to the Eastern Conference semifinals—this time for another all-division clash, as they prepare to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The series opener is set for Sunday, though the official tip-off time has not yet been announced.

Pacers-Cavs will start Sunday. Don't have a time yet.

— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) April 30, 2025

The Pacers faced the Cavaliers four times this season and defeated their rivals three out of four times.

This will be the fourth time these division rivals will face off in the postseason. However, this will be the first time they will meet outside of the first round. The Pacers won in 1998, while the Cavaliers won in 2017 and 2018. 

The Pacers won the first time in 1998, 3-1. The Cavaliers, led by LeBron James at the time, swept the Pacers in the first round in 2017 and were taken to the brink of elimination in 2018, with Indiana losing in seven games.

This time, the No. 4 seed Pacers will have to hit the road as they will start the series in Cleveland against the No. 1 seed Cavaliers.

Heading into the second round, the Cavaliers are favored to move on—at least according to DraftKings. The sportsbook currently lists Cleveland as -425 favorites to win the series against the Pacers, while Indiana sits at +320 odds to pull off the upset.

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.