With James on bench, Pacers roll past Cavaliers 123-109
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Paul George scored 29 points and C.J. Miles added 21, helping the Indiana Pacers blow out the Cleveland Cavaliers – with LeBron James getting the night off – 123-109 on Wednesday night.
Indiana ended a four-game losing streak in the series and still leads eighth-place Detroit by a half-game. Ninth-place Chicago, still vying for one of the final two playoff spots in the East, is now three games behind the Pacers.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Cavaliers played without the four-time MVP James, who rested after playing Tuesday night in Milwaukee. Without James, Kyrie Irving had 26 points and six assists. Kevin Love scored 23.
Indiana took control with a 14-0 second-quarter spurt that made it 55-41. Cleveland got within nine at halftime and closed to 83-74 in the third quarter.
The Pacers then answered with a 13-4 spurt to make it an 18-point game and the Cavs couldn’t get closer than 12.