Indiana Stuns Cavaliers to Reach Eastern Conference Finals
The Indiana Pacers pulled off a major upset by eliminating the Eastern Conference’s top seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a 114–105 comeback victory on the road, clinching the series 4–1 in the NBA Playoffs semifinals.
Despite trailing by 19 points in the second quarter, Indiana stormed back behind a brilliant performance from Tyrese Haliburton, who finished with 31 points, including six three-pointers.
Pascal Siakam added 21 points, Aaron Nesmith posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Andrew Nembhard chipped in with 18 points.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle reflected after the win: “We’re now eight wins away from a championship. This year’s title is wide open. There are great teams out there, but no one is dominant. We just have to keep believing.”
Cleveland appeared poised to extend the series early, racing to a commanding lead. But Haliburton caught fire in the second quarter with 15 points—including five threes—cutting the deficit to just four by halftime (56–52). Indiana then erupted with a 33–20 third quarter to seize an 85–76 lead heading into the final frame.
Donovan Mitchell, playing through an ankle injury, scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and trimmed the lead to just one (98–97) with five minutes remaining. However, Cleveland’s struggles from beyond the arc—converting just 9 of 35 attempts—proved costly against Indiana’s disciplined defense.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged Indiana’s performance: “They were the better team and deserved to win. They played great. We made progress this season, but now we need to figure out how to take the final step.”
The Pacers will face the winner of the Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks series in the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston currently holds a 3–1 lead.
Thriller in the West Conference
In the Western Conference, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder earned a crucial 112–105 win over the defending champion Denver Nuggets, taking a 3–2 lead in the series.
Despite a monstrous performance from three-time MVP Nikola Jokic—who delivered 44 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists—Denver couldn’t withstand OKC’s fourth-quarter surge, as the Thunder outscored them 34–19 down the stretch.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a regular-season MVP contender, poured in 31 points, and six Oklahoma City players finished in double figures. “Games go up and down, you make shots and miss shots, but we trusted our foundation and came out with the win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’re only as strong as our weakest link, and all ten guys are ready. All that matters is winning. We got one tonight, now we need one more.”
Now facing elimination, Denver must win Game 6 at home to keep their title defense alive. Interim coach David Adelman said, “It’s a frustrating loss and the players should feel that. We need to bounce back and win Game 6 to give ourselves a chance to come back.”
If the Thunder close out the series in Game 6, they’ll meet the winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Golden State Warriors series, where Minnesota currently holds a 3–1 advantage.
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