INDIANAPOLIS — Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points for a second consecutive 40-point outing, but this time it didn’t come in defeat as the Cavaliers beat the Pacers 126-104 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Cavs trimmed the Pacers’ series lead to 2-1, avoiding the 3-0 deficit from which no NBA team has ever come back. Game 4 is 8 p.m. ET, Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Cavs’ win guarantees the series will go at least five games with Game 5 being in Cleveland.
Guard Max Strus had 20 points and seven assists for the Cavs. Center Jarrett Allen had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Forward Evan Mobley had 18 points and 13 rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 points. Forward Pascal Siakam added 18. Center Myles Turner added 15.
Here are three observations.
Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley refuse to allow Cavs to get swept
Mitchell gave the Cavs 48 points in a sensational performance in Game 2, but it still wasn’t enough for the Cavs to avoid a fourth-quarter collapse. He wasn’t about to let it happen again, and he also had more stars available to help him with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter all back after missing Game 2 with injury.
Mitchell, as he has been all series, was impossible to keep away from the rim without fouling. He scored 43 points on 14-of-29 shooting with much of that coming at the rim, but he also hit 5-of-13 3s. He was also 10-of-14 at the line and when he wasn’t scoring he was playmaking for others. He grabbed nine rebounds and also dished out five assists.
The Cavs had four other players in double figures but Mobley was the most important on both ends. He scored 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting but he was a bigger game-changer on the defensive end. The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year grabbed 13 rebounds, including eight on defense, blocked three shots and registered three steals.
Pacers fall apart in second quarter
In three of the past four games, the Pacers have put together a truly awful offensive quarter in the first half to dig a hole for themselves. In Friday’s case it was the second quarter after a 13-point first quarter against the Bucks in Game 5 of the first round and a 15-point first quarter against the Cavs in Game 2.
The Pacers seemed totally flummoxed by the 3-2 zone the Cavs used, and Mobley personally blew up a lot of what the Pacers were trying to do. They lost the period 34-13 making just five of 22 field goals and missing all 11 of their 3-point shots. They managed five paint buckets in the period but that was almost all the offense they could muster.
Bennedict Mathurin brings another strong bench performance
In each game so far in this series, Mathurin has brought a spark to the Pacers when they absolutely had to have it and brought a sustained level of force on both ends.
The third-year wing broke the Pacers out of an early first-quarter funk with three buckets, including a pair of 3s. That helped the Pacers turn an 0-of-7 start from the field and a stretch where only Myles Turner could score points into a 32-point first quarter.
From there, Mathurin kept attacking the rim and kept drawing fouls and showed some shooting touch. He finished with 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range and 8-of-9 from the line. He also caused Garland trouble on defense, getting him to pick up his fourth foul at a critical time.
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