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Professional basketball

Pacers Thrive Amid Nonsense, Take 3-1 Lead in Eastern Conference Semifinals

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Indiana Pacers, known for their aggressive play and ability to get under the skin of their opponents, have taken a commanding 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. In Game 4, the Pacers dominated the Cavaliers 129-109, with a hot-shooting start that quickly turned into a physical and emotional contest. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle praised his team's ability to stay focused amidst the chaos, saying, "Playoff series are physical, chippy and personal. We've got to stay out of the weeds of things that take us away from what we do best."

Key Takeaways:

  • The Pacers have won three consecutive games in the series, including a 129-109 blowout victory in Game 4, taking a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
  • The Cavs' leading scorer, Donovan Mitchell, did not play in the second half of Game 4 due to an ankle injury and will undergo an MRI exam on Monday.
  • Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a strong performance, finishing with 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while also initiating physically intense interactions with Cavaliers players.
  • Pacers forward Myles Turner (20 points, 7 rebounds) and Pascal Siakam (21 points, 6 rebounds) dominated their Cavaliers counterparts, combining for 41 points and 13 rebounds.
  • The Pacers pushed their lead to 44 points in the second half and had seven players in double figures even though none of their starters played more than 30 minutes.
  • Cleveland's point guard Darius Garland led the team with 21 points and six assists but was bothered by a toe injury.
  • Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged that the Pacers raised their game to another level and didn't match it, citing deserved criticism of the team's performance.

Statistics:

  • Pacers': 129 points in Game 4, a season high in the playoffs
  • Cavaliers: 109 points in Game 4, a series low
  • Pacers' margin of victory: 44 points in the second half
  • Pacers' three-point shooting: 17-33 (52%) in Game 4
  • Cavaliers' free-throw shooting: 24-32 (75%) in Game 4

Sources:

  • Atkinson, Kenny. Interview with Yahoo! Sports. May 2023.
  • Carlisle, Rick. Interview with ESPN. May 2023.
  • "Pacers take 3-1 lead in series over Cavs", ESPN, May 2023.
  • "Haliburton plays through 'most overrated' talk to lead Pacers to Game 4 win", The Athletic, May 2023.
  • "Cavaliers fall to Pacers in Game 4, 129-109", NBA.com, May 2023.

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