The Indiana Pacers thrashed the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-109 to take a 3-1 stranglehold on their NBA playoff sequence on Sunday as Oklahoma Metropolis edged Denver to stage their sequence at two video games apiece.
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Pascal Siakam scored 21 factors to guide seven Pacers gamers in double figures as Indiana pushed Japanese Convention prime seeds Cleveland to the brink of elimination of their best-of-seven convention semi-final.
There have been no such offensive fireworks in Denver, the place Oklahoma Metropolis squelched the Nuggets’ second-half comeback bid to assert a gritty 92-87 victory in a recreation the place each groups struggled to get photographs to fall.
In Cleveland, the Pacers already had the sport properly in hand, with an 80-39 halftime lead, when the Cavs introduced that star Donovan Mitchell was uncertain to return for the second half with a left ankle damage.
Mitchell, coming off back-to-back 40-point video games, scored 12 factors within the first half, however was clearly hurting when he examined his ankle previous to the beginning of the second half.
His loss can be a physique blow for a Cleveland group hoping to fend off elimination once they host recreation 5 on Tuesday.
Coach Kenny Atkinson mentioned Mitchell would have an MRI scan on Monday and he had “no idea” if Mitchell can be out there for recreation 5.
Regardless of the Pacers’ dominance, there was no scarcity of emotion.
Indiana reserve Bennedict Mathurin was ejected with 4:32 left within the first quarter for a punch to De’Andre Hunter’s chest.
Hunter acquired a technical foul for responding with a two-handed shove that despatched Mathurin sprawling, whereas Indiana’s Myles Turner acquired a technical for wading into the fray.
Up 38-23 after one quarter, the Pacers piled it on within the second interval, a 17-0 scoring run pushing their result in 78-37 on the way in which to an 80-39 halftime lead.
Cleveland made simply eight baskets within the first half whereas the Pacers placed on an offensive show.
A Turner basket on the rim, off a no-look go from Tyrese Haliburton, despatched the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd right into a frenzy.
The Pacers had been additionally on-target from deep, making 12 of their 15 three-pointers within the first half.
“This is a group that plays better through adversity,” Turner mentioned of the Pacers’ rebound from their game-three defeat.
“We got punched in the mouth last game, we had a hell of a response. The starters set the tone and the bench picked it up the rest of the game.”
Turner and Obi Toppin added 20 factors every for Indiana and Haliburton completed with 11. Darius Garland led Cleveland’s scoring with 21 factors, however the Cavaliers gave up 22 turnovers resulting in 35 Pacers factors.
In Denver, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 factors with six rebounds and 6 assists to guide Oklahoma Metropolis, however the Thunder related on simply 31 of 87 photographs from the sphere solely marginally higher than the Nuggets’ 25-for-80 success fee.
NBA Most Worthwhile Participant Nikola Jokic scored 27 factors and grabbed 13 rebounds for Denver, who shook off a dismal begin and grabbed a 53-52 lead halfway by means of the third quarter on a three-pointer from Aaron Gordon.
Jamal Murray and Christian Braun scored 17 factors every and Gordon added 15 as Denver prolonged the result in eight factors early within the fourth.
However lower than 48 hours after a draining additional time triumph Friday in recreation three, the Nuggets did not capitalize.
Oklahoma Metropolis regained the lead on Cason Wallace’s three-pointer with 8:35 to play and held on till the tip.
“We got stops, held them to 18 points in the fourth quarter,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “They obviously came out hot after halftime, jumped on us, but defensive end is always it for us… We got it back on track and we were able to get a W.”
Having prevented falling right into a 3-1 gap, the Thunder host recreation 5 on Tuesday.
“I thought tired legs out there from both teams,” Nuggets coach David Adelman mentioned. “Give their team credit, in a really disgusting basketball game, those guys made plays, made enough plays to push them over the edge and win the game.”
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