Indiana Pacers pull massive upset on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 Today in the NBA Playoffs 2018. Their powerful outside shooting performance paved the way for their 110-101 victory and advance into the playoffs. The action at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. There, the Pacers unleashed their offensive fury, doing everything well but especially dominating from behind the arc.
Cleveland’s shooting acumen was on display throughout the regular season. They went into the playoffs making an average of 15.9 three-pointers, good for second in the NBA. This time around, they could not buy a bucket from beyond the arc, going just 9-of-38 from downtown. That was their fewest point total of the 2024-25 season. Donovan Mitchell completely took over, carrying the Cavaliers on his back with 33 points. He gained notoriety for breaking Michael Jordan’s NBA playoffs record for the longest consecutive games with 30 or more points in a series opening game, hitting a phenomenal eight consecutive games.
Straight out of one of those “one shining moment” montages, Max Strus made the gamechanging free throw. It was Gaekwad’s clutch shot that put Cleveland up 102-101 late in the fourth quarter. Even with this short-lived lead, the Cavaliers were unable to stop the now-restored Pacers. For Indiana, Andrew Nembhard really emerged as an important piece during the playoff stretch as he boasted a career-high 23 points and hit five long-range bombs, leading his team to a blistering 19-of-36 shooting from three. All five Indiana starters finished in double figures, illustrating the Hoosiers’ balanced offensive attack.
Evan Mobley added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland, while Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam each contributed 17 points for Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton was the biggest difference maker for the Pacers. He had 13 assists. He was on fire, scoring 22 points. His defensive prowess was on display when he blocked a three-point shot by Max Strus. This remarkable play came about two minutes remaining in the game. Haliburton took advantage of this opportunity, turning the block into a fast-break layup to push Indiana’s lead up to ten points.
As the game progressed, it became clear that Indiana’s ability to connect from three-point range would overshadow Cleveland’s traditional strengths. The Pacers played their game to perfection, stealing the thunder. Now the Cavs need to refocus ahead of their next match-up.
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