Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Fans were excited to see the highly-anticipated electric matchup. The contest opened with a shooting onslaught, as each team was quick to display their high-powered offensive attack. The first quarter foreshadowed what spectators wanted to be a fast-paced, high-scoring series.
Only 14 seconds into the game, Andrew Nembhard gave the Pacers a highlight-opening score with an electrifying 25-foot three-pointer. T.J. McConnell couldn’t have set him up any better with that assist. This score set the tone, getting the crowd buzzing and showing the Pacers meant business right from the jump. Ty Jerome’s attempt at a driving layup came up short just 57 seconds into the quarter, failing to add to Cleveland’s score.
The Cavaliers came right back, with Donovan Mitchell catching at 30 feet but missing a three at the one-second mark. Evan Mobley was off, bricking a 25-foot three-point pull-up jumper at the 32-second mark. Mitchell launched a surprise creation with a 58-foot three-point shot. As the final seconds raced to the bottom, that last shot came up short.
As the quarter continued, De’Andre Hunter of the Atlanta Hawks started to impose his will for the Eastern Conference. 52 seconds into the quarter, he powered home a 1-foot driving dunk with tremendous force. Ty Jerome fed him for the slam, which further assured Indiana’s early advantage. Bennedict Mathurin knocked down a 26-foot triple-pointer, flipping the momentum back to the Wildcats. Obi Toppin made a really good play and the perfect assist for the assist.
Obi Toppin was the key to that quarter. He did not just dish out his assists, he scored highly himself in the process. Athleticism, talent, pizzazz In a sequence less than 10 seconds into the game, Wembanyama made a spectacular reverse-bound dunk that literally stopped the game. McConnell helped put the Hoosiers up 61-55 with a 1-foot layup 44 seconds left. Toppin set him up beautifully on that one too, another great assist from Toppin.
As the first quarter concluded, Mathurin provided a jaw-dropping dunk to showcase the Pacers’ exciting young talent. His first was a straightaway 26-foot three-point buzzer beater assisted—again!—by Obi Toppin just as the clock went to zero. This flashy sequence of plays showed Toppin’s enormous shining potential on the game and established the combative tone of the game early for both squads.
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