Pacers Shock Cavs in Game 5, Punch Ticket to Eastern Conference Finals
Remember when the Indiana Pacers started the season 5-10 and didn’t look like anything special? That team is now headed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year after stunning the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 in Game 5. And if we’re being honest here, “stunning” might be too generous—the Pacers just completed their third win at Cleveland’s Rocket Arena in this series alone.
What began as a potential Cavs coronation turned into a Pacers party as Tyrese Haliburton delivered his first 30-point playoff performance when it mattered most. His 31 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds led an Indiana comeback that has to feel like a recurring nightmare for Cleveland fans.
From Dominant to Devastated: The Cavs’ Collapse
If you only watched the first quarter, you’d have sworn Cleveland was ready to extend this series. The Cavs came out breathing fire, jumping to a commanding 31-19 lead that had the home crowd believing. They dominated inside early, outscoring the Pacers 34-14 in the paint during the first half with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley looking unstoppable.
Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 35 points in a losing effort, was in takeover mode early. Mobley added 24 points and 11 rebounds, showing flashes of the two-way force Cleveland envisioned when drafting him.
But then came the collapse that felt eerily similar to Cleveland’s previous playoff disappointments. Remember last year’s early exit? This one might sting even worse given their stellar 64-18 regular season record.
The Cavs’ third-quarter struggles became the story yet again, getting outscored 33-20 in what turned into the decisive period. In that crucial stretch, Cleveland’s paint dominance evaporated faster than a Raymond Felton fast break, scoring just 8 points inside while Indiana poured in 18. The Cavs’ shooting turned ice cold too—38.9% for the game, including a brutal 9-for-35 (25.7%) from beyond the arc.
Haliburton’s History-Making Night
While Cleveland fans were having flashbacks to past playoff nightmares, Tyrese Haliburton was busy writing his own legacy. His 31 points marked the first time a Pacers player crossed the 30-point threshold this postseason, and his timing couldn’t have been better.
“We got a lot of guys who can put the ball in the basket,” Haliburton said after the win. It’s the kind of humble team-first comment that encapsulates what makes these Pacers different.
Remember when Sacramento traded him away? That’s looking more like the Kings’ version of the Herschel Walker trade with each passing playoff game. Haliburton orchestrated the offense with the calm confidence of a 10-year veteran, not someone experiencing their first deep playoff run.
The Comeback: How Indiana Flipped the Script
Down by 19 at one point in the first half, the Pacers could have folded like a cheap lawn chair. Instead, they mounted a 27-9 run before halftime to cut the deficit to just four points, completely changing the game’s momentum.
Then came the third-quarter onslaught. The Pacers unleashed a devastating 26-5 run that transformed what had been a Cavaliers showcase into a statement game for Indiana. Thomas Bryant provided unexpected energy during that critical third quarter, while the entire Pacers team seemed to elevate their defensive intensity.
Pascal Siakam, the midseason acquisition that signaled Indiana’s serious playoff intentions, contributed 21 points. Andrew Nembhard added 18 points, continuing to show why he might be one of the league’s most underrated young guards.
The balance was remarkable—while Cleveland became increasingly Mitchell-dependent as the game progressed, the Pacers kept finding new heroes. When the Cavs cut the lead to a single point in the fourth quarter, it was Myles Turner stepping up with a momentum-snuffing three-pointer that felt like a dagger to Cleveland’s hopes.
Cleveland’s Home Court Disadvantage
The most perplexing aspect of this series might be how the Cavaliers transformed from a dominant home team during the regular season into a squad that lost three of four playoff games at Rocket Arena.
Three of Cleveland’s four losses in the playoffs came on their home court, a stunning reversal for a team that seemed to feed off their crowd’s energy all season. The Cavs seemed to tighten up as the pressure mounted, playing with the carefree confidence of a team with a 9-point lead in the regular season until suddenly looking like they were trying to defuse a bomb in the fourth quarter.
The pressure to capitalize on their 64-win season clearly weighed on Cleveland. For all of Mitchell’s brilliance (and he was spectacular at times), the moments when the Cavs needed collective composure were precisely when they seemed to fracture.
Indiana’s Remarkable Turnaround
Let’s appreciate what Rick Carlisle has engineered here. The Pacers sat at 16-18 by New Year’s, looking like potential sellers rather than contenders. Instead, they found their identity, finished with a respectable 50-32 record, and have now knocked off the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
“We’ve been focused on blocking out external distractions,” Carlisle noted after the win, a masterclass in understatement considering how few experts predicted this outcome.
This marks the first time a 4-seed has reached the conference finals in consecutive years since the current seeding system was established in 1984. It’s a testament to Indiana’s resilience and depth, qualities that have defined this team in the post-Paul George era.
What This Means for Both Franchises
For Cleveland, this defeat raises serious questions. After three consecutive playoff exits, the Mitchell-Mobley-Allen core might need reconfiguration. The Cavs have the talent, but something is missing in their playoff DNA. As Mitchell expressed after the game, there’s a heartbreak that comes with falling short yet again.
The Pacers, meanwhile, await the winner of the Celtics-Knicks series with dreams of reaching their first NBA Finals in 25 years. They’ve become what NBA pundits love to call “a problem”—a team nobody wants to face, with multiple scoring options and an ability to absorb punches before delivering their own knockout blows.
Looking Ahead: Can Indiana Keep Surprising?
The beauty of these Pacers is in their balance. While Haliburton is clearly the engine, they’ve demonstrated time and again that they don’t live and die with one player’s performance. Siakam provides veteran savvy and scoring punch. Turner delivers rim protection and timely shooting. Nembhard’s development has been a revelation.
This is starting to feel like one of those special playoff runs that defies explanation—like the 2011 Mavericks (also coached by Carlisle) or the 2004 Pistons. Not the most talented team on paper, but a perfect blend of skills, timing, and chemistry.
According to ESPN, Indiana’s victory marks just the seventh time since 2000 that a team has come back from a 19+ point deficit to win a closeout game on the road. This isn’t just an upset; it’s a statement about the Pacers’ identity.
For a franchise that has historically played bridesmaid to bigger markets and brighter stars, this playoff run feels particularly sweet. The Pacers don’t have a singular MVP candidate, but they have a team that plays with purpose and poise—qualities that become increasingly valuable as the playoff gauntlet continues.
As for Cleveland? This feels like a summer of soul-searching ahead. Sometimes the hardest leap is from very good to truly great, and the Cavs remain stuck on that threshold, watching another promising season end in disappointment.
The Pacers, meanwhile, continue their improbable journey, showing once again that in the NBA playoffs, how you finish the season matters far more than how you start it.