Remember when the Indiana Pacers were “too young,” “too small,” and allegedly still a few years away from scaring the East’s big dogs? Yeah, about that.
Tyrese Haliburton and a pack of fearless role players just walked into Cleveland, spotted the league’s No. 1 seed 19 points, then snatched their season and their souls in a 114‑105 Game 5 comeback.

For the second straight spring, Indy is conference‑finals bound. This time it isn’t some feel‑good upset story — it’s the logical next step for a group that’s been one of the NBA’s four best teams (34‑14) since New Year’s Day.

From Down 19 to Moving On — Inside a Wild Game 5

Haliburton’s Microwave Moment

Midway through the second quarter, this thing looked just about over. Cleveland had punched Indiana in the mouth early and built a 44–25 lead. The crowd inside Rocket Mortgage was hyped — and why wouldn’t they be? Donovan Mitchell, bum ankle and all, looked like he’d found another gear, getting downhill and hitting tough shots like the injury didn’t exist.

But just as Cavs fans were settling in for what looked like a routine Game 5 blowout, Tyrese Haliburton flipped the script. Out of nowhere, he caught fire — like, full-on video game mode. Five straight threes. Twenty-two points in a 10-minute stretch that yanked Indiana right back into the game. The Cavs’ lead was gone. By halftime, it was down to one possession. It was a momentum hijack, and it changed everything about how this game felt.

The Third‑Quarter Blitz

Rick Carlisle came out of halftime with a plan, and it worked like a charm. He put on a masterclass in spread pick-and-roll offense, getting his guys moving side-to-side, dragging Cleveland’s bigs away from the paint, and forcing tough decisions on every possession. The Pacers shot a scorching 14-for-22 in the third quarter alone. By the time the quarter ended, Indiana had flipped the game on its head and held a double-digit lead.

A big part of that run came from the little things — the kind of effort plays that don’t always show up in highlight reels but completely swing momentum. Aaron Nesmith was everywhere, flying in for offensive rebounds and keeping possessions alive. He ended up with 13 boards, and more than a few of them led to reset buckets that chipped away at Cleveland’s spirit. Andrew Nembhard kept getting into the paint, forcing the Cavs’ defense to collapse, and making smart decisions from there.

For all the talk about Cleveland’s length and rim protection, they looked stuck in cement during that stretch. Indiana just kept coming, and the Cavs had no answers.

A Series No One Saw Coming

Game 1 (121‑112 IND)

The Cavaliers thought they could handle Indiana’s pace — that was their first mistake. Game 1 was the opening punch, and it was thrown squarely by Pascal Siakam. The Pacers ran from the jump, and Cleveland just couldn’t keep up. Siakam poured in 28 points, slicing through the Cavs’ defense like it was midseason, not the playoffs.

He got whatever he wanted — in transition, in the half court, at the rim, from mid-range. The Cavs tried to slow it down, but Indy dictated the rhythm from the tip, and Cleveland was playing catch-up for most of the night. It was a tone-setter in every sense, and the Pacers made it clear: you want to play fast? Cool. Just don’t blink.

Game 2 (120‑119 IND)

Cleveland was up 20 points in the second half, and the game — and maybe the series — felt like it was heading their way. They had survived a wild Game 1, and were now poised to even things up. But in the NBA Playoffs, leads can evaporate fast, especially when Tyrese Haliburton gets cooking.

The Pacers stormed back behind a flurry of late buckets, capped by Haliburton leaning into a gutsy three that splashed through the net with 1.1 seconds on the clock. Game-winner. Silenced crowd. Pacers up 2-0.

In the moment, it felt like a dramatic finish. Looking back? That was the backbreaker. The Cavs never fully recovered, and that game flipped the series on its head.

Game 3 (126‑104 CLE)

Game 3 felt like a bit of a sigh of relief for Cleveland. Down 0-2 and playing in Indiana, the Cavs finally showed the kind of fight fans had been waiting for. Donovan Mitchell poured in 43 points — the kind of explosive scoring performance that’s become his calling card in the playoffs. And credit to the Cavs’ coaching staff: they threw out a funky zone defense that gave the Pacers problems for the first time all series.

The Cavs looked active, confident, and in rhythm for the first time. Their defense was flying around, the role players were hitting shots, and the tempo slowed down to something more manageable for Cleveland’s style. It all clicked.

Game 4 (129‑109 IND)

The Pacers didn’t just take control in Game 4 — they practically ended the series in one half. An 80–39 halftime score tied an NBA playoff record and sent a pretty clear message: this thing was over. Indiana came out swinging, knocking down shots from everywhere, flying around on defense, and just flat-out embarrassing Cleveland.

Bennedict Mathurin got tossed in the first quarter for a little extracurricular energy, but honestly, the Cavs probably wished they could’ve joined him. They looked lifeless. The defense was in shambles, the offense was stuck in mud, and by the time the second half rolled around, it was all academic. Indiana didn’t just steal a game — they stole the Cavs’ spirit.

Indy went 3‑0 inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with the Game 5 win — a building where Cleveland lost seven times all regular season.

New Year, New Pacers

Indiana’s season didn’t start like a team destined for the Eastern Conference Finals. By Christmas, they were sitting hovering around .500, stuck in that weird middle ground where they seemingly didn't know if they were building toward something or just spinning their wheels. The defense was inconsistent, the rotation felt a little too crowded, and the results weren’t matching the talent on the roster.

That’s when Rick Carlisle made the pivot. He tightened things up — trimmed the rotation, pushed the pace, and leaned hard into what made this group dangerous. And it worked. The Pacers caught fire after New Year’s, ripping off a 34–14 run to close the season at 50–32. Since January 1, they're top-10 in offensive rating, defensive rating, net rating, true shooting percentage, effective field goal percentage, and pace. They truly haven't had a hole in their play on the court. 

That late-season surge wasn’t just about numbers — it was about identity. This team found its formula. And when the playoffs hit, that rhythm rolled straight into Round 1. The Pacers faced a tough Milwaukee team that had beaten them three times in the regular season, but this time was different. Indy handled the Bucks in five games. Sure, Giannis still did his thing — you’re not stopping him entirely — but Indiana’s depth made the difference. Their bench production buried Milwaukee’s, and Haliburton’s late-game shotmaking closed out two tight contests.

Haliburton’s Evolution

Since the All-Star break, Tyrese Haliburton has been playing like a guy on a mission. You can tell the game has slowed down for him. He’s seeing the floor better, picking his spots, and completely cutting down on the sloppy turnovers that used to creep into his game.

That 4.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio? Second-best of any starter left in the playoffs. That’s not just good — that’s elite floor general stuff. It’s no surprise the "overrated" talk has gone quiet. And when you’ve got LeBron James, of all people, tweeting out praise, you know you’re doing something right:

Where the lames who said he was overrated??!! Quiet as hell. That boy NICE and even more someone everyone would love to play with!

He’s not just running the offense — he’s owning it. This version of Haliburton is setting the tone, making the game easier for everyone else, and proving he can be the guy in the biggest moments.

Pascal & Friends

Pascal Siakam’s been the steady drumbeat of this playoff run, leading the Pacers with 18.8 points per game. He’s not just getting buckets — he’s giving Rick Carlisle a matchup nightmare to deploy however he wants. Need a small-ball five? Siakam’s your guy. Need a forward who can post mismatches, run in transition, and defend multiple spots? Still Siakam. He’s been everything Indiana needed when they made the trade.

Then there’s Myles Turner, who’s quietly putting together one of the best two-way postseasons of his career. He’s protecting the rim, sure — but he’s also knocking down threes at a 45% clip, which stretches defenses and opens lanes for Indy’s guards to slice through.

Aaron Nesmith has taken on every defensive challenge thrown his way, guarding one through four without blinking. Bennedict Mathurin brings that microwave scoring energy off the bench — he might be inconsistent, but when he’s on, he flips games. And Andrew Nembhard? The guy just plays like a veteran. Steady, smart, unbothered by the moment.

Cleveland’s Dream Season, Abrupt Finale

The Cavs weren’t just good this year — they were the kind of team analytics nerds and old-school hoop heads could actually agree on. Dominant record? Check. Monster point differential? Check. Efficient offense that lit teams up from deep? Absolutely. They went 64-18, outscored teams by almost 10 points a night, and finished with the league’s best true shooting percentage. That’s not just impressive — that’s historically elite territory.

And they didn’t slow down once the playoffs started. In Round 1, they absolutely steamrolled the Miami Heat, sweeping them with ease and putting up a ridiculous +122 point differential across four games. That included a 55-point demolition in Game 4 — one of the largest playoff margins ever. Everything was clicking. Mitchell looked fresh. The ball was humming. The defense was locked in.

But as we were reminded (again), playoff basketball is a different beast. And unfortunately for Cleveland, nobody gives out trophies for April dominance. Once they ran into a team that could match their pace and punch back, all those shiny numbers didn’t mean much.

What Went Wrong?

1. Injuries at the Worst Time – Garland’s big‑toe sprain never fully healed; Mobley tweaked an ankle; De’Andre Hunter and sharpshooter Sam Merrill watched in street clothes; Mitchell re‑sprained his ankle in Game 4 but soldiered on. Everyone is banged up in May, but Cleveland’s timing was brutal.

2. Live‑by‑the‑3, Die‑by‑the‑3 – The Cavs fired 41 threes a night this year at a 38% clip. Against Indy? 29%. Rough math: that’s 18 points off the board nightly.

3. Pace Shock – Cleveland plays methodical, 26th in pace. Indiana plays 6th. The series felt like a Corvette drag‑racing a diesel truck; the truck never got out of second gear.

Mitchell’s Future In the Balance

Donovan Mitchell gave it everything he had — 35 points, nine boards, five assists in Game 5, averaging 34-6-4 across the series — and no one can question his effort. He played through a sprained ankle that clearly wasn’t right and still went down swinging. But that hasn’t stopped the noise. The fact that he’s now 0-for-his career in reaching a Conference Finals is becoming harder to ignore, especially for a fanbase starving for a breakthrough.

Cleveland’s front office will likely run it back — they’ve built a 64-win team with top-tier talent on both ends — but there’s no denying the pressure is building. You don’t waste prime years from Mitchell and Mobley.

Around the league, rival execs are watching closely. If things start to unravel next season or if the team stalls again in May, expect the Cavs’ phone lines to heat up quickly. They’re probably not blowing it up yet, but the fuse is a little shorter now.

Onward and Upward

With Jayson Tatum now sidelined after tearing his Achilles in Game 4 against the Knicks, it feels like the writing’s on the wall for Boston. No matter how deep or talented the Celtics are, losing their best player at this stage of the postseason is a mountain few teams climb.

That means we’re probably headed for another Knicks-Pacers showdown — this time with a ticket to the NBA Finals on the line. If you remember last year’s series, it got chippy. Fast. The Pacers came back from 2-0 down, ended New York’s season on their home floor, and celebrated while Knicks fans watched in disbelief. Tempers flared, bodies hit the floor, and both fanbases left with receipts.

So yeah, it’s safe to say there’s some history here. Now imagine throwing in higher stakes, better rosters, and the buzz of MSG and Gainbridge Fieldhouse rocking in alternating waves? If last year’s matchup was heated, this year’s might boil over. Buckle up — if it’s Knicks-Pacers again, we’re in for a war.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.