INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Haliburton scored 23 points, posted 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Pacers to a 114-112 win over the Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night, clinching a top-four seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Pacers improved to 49-31 and have won six straight. They trail the Knicks by just one game and still have a chance at the No. 3 seed and can finish no worse than fourth. The Cavaliers have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the East at 63-17.
Forward Aaron Nesmith added 22 points for the Pacers. Forward Jarace Walker added 15 points. Center Myles Turner had 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. Guard Ty Jerome led the Cavs with 24 points. Forward De’Andre Hunter added 23.
NBA playoffs standings: Pacers lock up homecourt advantage in first round
Here are three observations.
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Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers closed strong vs. Cavs’ subs
The Pacers were fortunate to be playing another team with nothing to play for this late in the season, though this time on the other end of the spectrum. Instead of playing a team already consigned to the draft lottery, the Pacers were playing a team in the Cavs that has already sewn up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and therefore is looking to rest top players heading into the playoffs.
The Cavs sat out four starters to start the game — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Max Strus — then sat out fifth starter Jarrett Allen after halftime. Star sub Ty Jerome scored 24 points in the first three quarters, but he didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter.
Still, the Pacers did what they needed to do to get enough buckets and stops down the stretch. Haliburton scored eight points and hit two 3-pointers that put them in control. Walker scored 10 points and even after a missed Nesmith free throw in the final 10 seconds the Pacers came through with a stop when Cavs forward Jaylen Tyson missed a potential game-tying shot.
With Cavs sitting All-Stars, Pacers still got outmuscled
Despite all the missing players, the Cavs still spent most of the game in control of what might be considered the muscle stats.
The Cavs outscored the Pacers 28-16 in the paint in the first half, won the rebounding battle 33-23 and scored 13 second-chance points to the Pacers’ zero. The Pacers had it a little easier in the second half with Allen out as he registered 10 rebounds, three of them on offense. Still, the Cavs won the points in the paint battle 44-42, second-chance points battle 15-8 and and rebound battle 50-46.
Jarace Walker hits big shots to keep Pacers in it
Guard Ben Sheppard missed another game with a left great toe sprain which meant another night of extended minutes for Walker, and he again made the most of those minutes. The second-year former lottery pick is on the hottest shooting stretch of his young professional career and that continued Thursday.
Walker scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting including 4-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc. That included 4-of-4 from the floor and 2-of-2 from 3 in the fourth quarter as his 3s helped the Pacers withstand a barrage from De’Andre Hunter and Sam Merrill early in the fourth.
