NBA: Donovan Mitchell scores 43, Cavs avoid 0-3 hole vs Pacers

NBA: Donovan Mitchell scores 43, Cavs avoid 0-3 hole vs Pacers

/ 11:42 AM May 10, 2025

Donovan Mitchell Cavaliers beat Pacers Game 3 NBA East semifinals playoffs

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrate during the second half of Game 3 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

INDIANAPOLIS — Donovan Mitchell had 43 points and nine rebounds, and the finally full-strength Cleveland Cavaliers beat Indiana 126-104 on Friday night to cut the Pacers’ lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The road team has won all three games in the series, and the Pacers will have another chance to break that trend Sunday in Game 4.

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READ: NBA: Donovan Mitchell, depleted Cavs down 0-2 vs Pacers

Cleveland was desperate to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole and used everything in its arsenal to hold on this time — making 14 3-pointers, holding a 56-37 rebounding edge, even relying on zone defense to slow down the high-scoring Pacers.

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And with NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, All-Star guard Darius Garland and key backup De’Andre Hunter all suited up after missing Game 2, Mitchell got the support he needed.

Max Strus made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Three other Cleveland players also scored in double figures on a night the Cavs led by as much 26, never trailed and managed to protect their late lead when the Pacers cut the deficit to 11 early in the fourth.

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Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 points. Pascal Siakam had 18 and Tyrese Haliburton finished with four points and five assists in his first career home loss in a postseason game he’s appeared.

READ: NBA: Haliburton hits last second 3, Pacers take 2-0 lead over Cavs

The most physical of the three games resulted in players routinely sprawled on the floor. Hunter turned into a hard shoulder after making a basket early in the second quarter, a collision that nearly knocked him down, and Mitchell took a nasty spill into the front-row seats while being called for an offensive foul.

Tempers also flared at times with the Pacers drawing five technical fouls, one for a delay of game.

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On the court, though, Cleveland controlled most of the game after breaking a 36-36 tie with a 25-4 run that helped push the Cavs to a 66-45 halftime cushion.

Indiana cut it to 80-65 midway through the third quarter and looked ready to pull off another fourth-quarter rally when Siakam’s 3 with 8:24 to play made it 104-93. But Mitchell and Strus answered with back-to-back 3s to lead a game-sealing charge.

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TAGS: Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell, NBA

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