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05/09 21:42 CDT Donovan Mitchell scores 43 and Cavaliers beat the Pacers
126-104 to cut series deficit to 2-1
Donovan Mitchell scores 43 and Cavaliers beat the Pacers 126-104 to cut series
deficit to 2-1
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) --- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
