CLEVELAND – Tyrese Haliburton knows he’s the one his team relies on in the clutch. And once again, he didn’t disappoint.

With just 1.1 seconds remaining, Haliburton sank a dramatic 3-pointer to lift the Indiana Pacers to a 120-119 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night. The win gave the Pacers a surprising 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinals series.

The Pacers’ remarkable comeback came in the final 47.9 seconds, as they scored the last eight points of the game. Haliburton was a key figure, scoring 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter alone.

After a crucial steal by Andrew Nembhard from Cleveland’s Max Strus with 27.5 seconds left, Indiana initially sought a potential game-tying three. Haliburton, however, drove inside and got fouled. He made his first free throw but missed the second. Undeterred, he grabbed his own rebound, stepped out to the 3-point line, and drained the game-winner from the top of the key.

“I was (ticked) I missed the layup, but I just backed it out, saw Ty Jerome, and knocked it down,” Haliburton said. “It’s the NBA — crazier things happen. We don’t give up, and we’re battle-tested. We just find a way.”

The Pacers guard has been clutch throughout the playoffs. He hit a key layup in overtime to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks just a few days earlier, and now, he’s delivered again in the postseason, adding another iconic shot to his growing list.

Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle praised Haliburton’s ability to deliver under pressure, saying, “Obviously, we got lucky. Ty hit another amazing shot to win the game. You don’t see this very often, let alone twice in one week. Tyrese, he came through again. We’re very fortunate.”

Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith each scored 23 points for the Pacers, while Haliburton’s heroics helped Indiana achieve something rare in franchise history. This marks the first time since 1994 that the Pacers have won the first two games of a playoff series on the road.

In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell put on an impressive performance, scoring 48 points for the Cavs despite missing three key players due to injury. The Cavs were without NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, key reserve De’Andre Hunter, and Darius Garland, who’s been sidelined by a toe injury.

“We outplayed them for most of the game, but toward the end, we had some mental lapses. They capitalized on every mistake we made,” said Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds.

The Cavaliers had a strong third quarter, building a commanding 98-81 lead late in the period. But the Pacers surged back with a 17-6 run, narrowing the gap. Cleveland looked poised to secure a win when Max Strus hit a 3-pointer with just over a minute left, putting the Cavs ahead 117-110.

However, the Cavs couldn’t hold on, committing two key turnovers, while the Pacers grabbed crucial offensive rebounds that led to points. This marked the first time the Cavaliers have lost their first two playoff games at home since 1996.

Carlisle summed up the game with a mixture of disbelief and pride: “Cleveland hit us with a hellacious punch early in the game. In the fourth, we just hung on. We maintained enough energy to get it done. Give the guys credit, they somehow found a way.”

The series now heads to Indiana for Game 3 on Friday, with the Pacers holding a rare 2-0 advantage on the road in the postseason.

Source: AP News – Haliburton’s 3 with 1.1 seconds left gives Pacers 120-119 stunning win over Cavs and 2-0 series lead

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MIAMI (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have etched their name into NBA history with the most dominant series win ever, completing a stunning 138-83 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night. This 55-point win in Game 4 marked the end of their Eastern Conference first-round series, with Cleveland sweeping Miami 4-0 and setting the record for the largest margin of victory in a playoff series, surpassing the previous record by 1 point.

Cavs’ Powerhouse Performance Donovan Mitchell led the charge with 22 points, while De’Andre Hunter added 19. The Cavaliers built an astonishing 60-point lead during the game, dominating every aspect of the matchup. Ty Jerome contributed 18 points, Evan Mobley chipped in 17, and Jarrett Allen made his presence felt with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 steals.

The Cavaliers clinched the series with a total margin of 122 points, surpassing Denver’s 2009 series victory over New Orleans for the largest playoff series margin ever.

Mitchell reflected on the team’s focused approach, saying, “We came out here with a goal in mind.”

Heat Struggle to Keep Pace Miami’s best effort came from Nikola Jovic, who scored 24 points. Bam Adebayo added 13 points, while Pelle Larsson and Andrew Wiggins each contributed 12. However, the Heat couldn’t keep up as Cleveland surged ahead, leading by as much as 60 points.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra expressed his frustration: “Damn, it was humbling. This series was humbling. These last two games were embarrassing. But Cleveland’s also a very good team. They showed us why we weren’t ready for that.”

Historic Blowout The Cavaliers’ 55-point win is the fourth-largest margin of victory in NBA playoff history. The largest playoff blowout remains 58 points, achieved twice—first by Minneapolis over St. Louis in 1956, and later by Denver over New Orleans in 2009. The Lakers also recorded a 56-point victory over Golden State in 1973.

Cleveland’s dominance was apparent from the very start. The Cavs exploded with a 33-5 run to open Game 3, and in Game 4, they led 43-14 by the end of the first quarter. The 26-point first-quarter margin matched Miami’s worst playoff quarter in history. For Cleveland, it was the second-best quarter margin in their playoff history.

A Thunderous First Half By halftime, Cleveland had a commanding 72-33 lead—39 points up on the Heat. That’s the third-largest halftime lead in NBA playoff history, surpassed only by two other historic performances: Cleveland’s 41-point lead over Boston in 2017 and Detroit’s 40-point advantage over Washington in 1987.

Looking Ahead: Cavs in the Semifinals Cleveland will face either the Indiana Pacers or the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Pacers currently lead that series 3-1, and regardless of the winner, Game 1 of the next round will be in Cleveland, with the matchup not scheduled until at least Saturday.

“I’m always a big fan of rest,” Mitchell said, underscoring the Cavs’ desire for a break before the next round.

Miami’s Third Sweep Loss This marks the third time in Miami Heat history they have been swept in a best-of-seven series. The other instances were in 2007, against Chicago, and in 2021, against Milwaukee—both of which also ended on the Heat’s home floor.

A Historic Sweep For the Cavaliers, this series win was a statement, with their unyielding focus, leadership, and maturity pushing them through the series with no signs of letting up. Coach Kenny Atkinson praised his team’s mindset: “We came down here with the right mentality. Our maturity, our leadership, all that stuff we’ve been talking about all year. We don’t seem to have letdowns. That’s rare.”

With an impressive sweep of the Heat, the Cavaliers are making waves as they move on to the next round, ready to continue their dominant playoff journey.

Source: AP News – Cavs win by 55 points to sweep Heat and finish off most lopsided series in NBA playoff history

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