Indiana Pacers falter in second half during road loss to Cleveland Cavaliers
The Chicago Bulls beat the Memphis Grizzlies early on Sunday, so the mission was clear for the Indiana Pacers later in the day: a win would have kept their play-in hopes alive, and a loss meant their season would end on April 9 with no postseason basketball.
There was a lot at stake for the blue and gold as they battled the Cavaliers in Cleveland. And while they were facing such significant circumstances, they were without Myles Turner and Tyrese Haliburton. They were still in learning mode as they chased a win.
The team started the game with a necessary urgency. Rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin was effective early, the Pacers defense got some stops, and Andrew Nembhard controlled the pace. Despite having significantly less size, the Pacers had the game tied at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter featured more Pacers execution as they got hot from the field. The blue and gold had their best offensive quarter of the game, scoring 33 points, as they went 11/13 from the foul line to take a halftime lead. Indiana looked strong for the first 24 minutes.
"We work on shots every day. Nobody doubts their shot at all," Pacers center Jalen Smith said after the game. "They're all good looks."
But the Pacers talent deficit could only hold off the Cavaliers for so long. Even with so much to play for, Cleveland was bound to make a run eventually, and it came in the third frame. A 14-4 stretch gave the Cavs a lead with a few minutes to go until the fourth quarter and that changed the makeup of the duel.
While the Pacers did recover from that sequence for a bit, even taking a lead into the last 12 minutes, the Cavs defense had figured them out. The blue and gold gave up the lead with 10:52 to go and never got it back. They couldn't score enough in the fourth quarter, finishing with just 18 points, and Indiana fell on the road.
"Whether it was speeding us up or forcing us into turnovers... they just kind of turned it up a bit," Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell said of Cleveland in the second half.
The game flipped on its head when the Cavs defense stepped up. Indiana couldn't figure it out in the second half as Celevland's length and scheme were difficult to crack. Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and Ricky Rubio were all tough on the less glamorous end of the court, and that shifted the game toward the Cavaliers.
The Pacers shot the ball well enough to deal with that defense in the first half, but those shots weren't falling in the second half. In the end, that led to a 44-point second half, and a loss, for the blue and gold.
"[They] took it to another gear. We responded for the most part but just didn't have enough," McConnell said.
The final score was 115-105. The Pacers had seven scorers in double figures but ended up falling flat. Like McConnell said, they didn't have enough when it mattered.
The Pacers dropped to 34-45 with the loss, and they are officially eliminated from playoff contention. As they have for the last few weeks, they will focus on learning and internal development down the stretch of the season. The blue and gold have three more games.
Mathurin was the Pacers most effective offensive threat for much of the night. He finished with 19 points and nine rebounds as he nearly had a double double, and he spent time defending the Cavaliers All-Star guards. He played well with a difficult assignment.
T.J. McConnel had 16 points and five assists in under 20 minutes. His rim attacks were critical. Starting point guard Andrew Nembhard tossed eight assists and added 13 points.
Jordan Nwora had the Pacers only double double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but his shot was a little off. His front court running mate, Aaron Nesmith, finished with 14 points.
In the end, the Pacers balance was on display. But they couldn't finish enough plays and their offense sputtered in the second half. They will regroup and look to score more effectively on Wednesday when they host the New York Knicks.
- How T.J. McConnell's low center of gravity helps him make plays for the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
- Indiana Pacers sign guard Gabe York to a two-way contract. CLICK HERE.
- Indiana Pacers playing without key players as season winds down. CLICK HERE.
- Rick Carlisle on the Indiana Pacers stretch run: 'Guys are learning and they are finding out what it's about'. CLICK HERE.
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