Pacers Dominate Cavs, Push Cleveland to Brink After Donovan Mitchell Injury
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff hopes are hanging by a thread after a disastrous Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night. With a dominant first-half explosion and a key injury to Donovan Mitchell, the Pacers rolled to a commanding 129-109 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, taking a 3-1 series lead.
The Pacers came out aggressive, quickly building a double-digit lead and setting the tone with a physical confrontation between Bennedict Mathurin and De’Andre Hunter. Mathurin was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul after a chest punch to Hunter, but Indiana barely blinked, continuing to build momentum.
By halftime, Indiana led by a staggering 41 points — tying an NBA postseason record — thanks to a blistering 60% shooting performance and a playoff-record 25 assists in one half.
Things only got worse for Cleveland when Mitchell, their star guard, aggravated an ankle injury during warmups for the second half. He did not return and is set to undergo an MRI. Without him, the Cavaliers lacked the firepower to mount a comeback.
Pascal Siakam paced the Pacers with 21 points, while Darius Garland led the Cavs with 21 points in a losing effort. Game 5 on Tuesday could seal Cleveland’s shocking early exit if they can’t find answers fast.
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