Surprise Performance Lifts Pacers to Victory Over Cavaliers in Summer League

The Indiana Pacers picked up the win in their first game of Summer League action, taking down the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 99-93 victory.

While all eyes were lasered in on how Braden Smith would perform in his first NBA action, it was the Nebraska big man, Rienk Mast, who stole the headlines. He led the team in scoring with 16 points on 6-12 shooting, corralled 11 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists. 7 of his 11 rebounds were on the offensive glass, and he connected on 5-6 of his two-point attempts.

The statline for Mast was impressive, but the timely buckets are what make his performance even more noteworthy. With 2:19 left in the game, the Cavaliers had trimmed a 21-point Pacers lead to just one. Yuki Kawamura found the cutting Mast who was fouled, and he made the one free throw attempt, for two points, to extend the Pacers' lead back to three. On the next play, Mast made a layup through contact and completed the old-fashioned three-point play, giving Indiana a six-point lead, and enough of a cushion to pull out the victory.

Braden Smith's Performance

Braden Smith struggled shooting from the floor, going just 1-8 in 30 minutes of play. Although his shooting percentage was poor, he impacted the game in a handful of ways. He dished out 4 assists, had three steals, and also came down with 8 rebounds, an impressive feat for a 5-foot-11 guard who has consistently been knocked for his size.

He played on the ball and off the ball, as the Pacers went extremely small with former Iowa State point guard, Tamin Lipsey, starting in the backcourt next to him, and then inserting him into lineups with the 5-foot-7 Japanese sensation, Yuki Kawamura.

It was different to see Smith utilized in an off-ball role as often as he was, but his skills were on display at both positions. He moved the ball up and the down the court quickly, and consistently looked to make the right pass even if it meant giving up an open shot. His ball fake was impactful, consistently getting defenders into the air or out of position.

Slawson, Peter, Kinney and Kawamura Impress

Pacers Bench — Pacers Summer League Bench | Pacers.com

Jalen Slawson struggled from the field, making just 4-15 shots. But in typical Slawson fashion, he found ways to leave his imprint on the game, finishing with 6 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Taelon Peter started at small forward and went 4-8 from the field and 3-7 from three. He finished with 13 points, 3 assists and 1 rebound.

Taevion Kinney had an efficient night off the bench. He connected on 4-6 from three-point land for 16 points, and was a +11 in the game.

Yuki Kawamura finished the evening with 8 points and 4 assists in 17 minutes. Rick Carlisle spoke glowingly about him during the broadcast, saying, 'He's hard not to like." His speed changed the game and he spearheaded the dominant performance from the bench.

Final Thoughts

This was a really solid Summer League performance by the blue and gold. Both teams get off to a slow start to the first quarter, but they dominated Cleveland 64-42 in the second and third periods. Cleveland made a valiant effort to make this a game, but Indiana withstood the ferocious comeback to secure the victory.

The Pacers are back in action Saturday evening at 5:30 PM EST against the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly won their first game against Detroit on Thursday night, 101-93. The 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Labaron Philon Jr., starred for the team with 20 points and 7 assists.

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