NBA Playoffs: Pacers rout Cavaliers to extend series lead to 3-1

INDIANAPOLIS: The Indiana Pacers surged to a dominant 129-109 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday, taking a 3-1 series lead at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, and Obi Toppin delivered stellar performances, with Siakam leading the charge with 21 points, three assists, and six rebounds.

Turner added 20 points, three assists, and seven rebounds, while Toppin also scored 20 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out two assists.

"We haven't done anything yet," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 

"We're going to keep approaching this like we have everything to prove. We know people don't believe in us, so we're just going to stay in the fight and keep fighting," he added.

The Pacers were explosive from the start, dominating the opening half. They led the first quarter 38-23 and extended their advantage with a 42-16 second-quarter performance.

By halftime, they had built a 44-point lead, matching the league’s previous best set by the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.

The Cavaliers showed resilience in the second half, outscoring the Pacers 38-29 in the third quarter and 32-20 in the fourth.

However, their comeback effort fell short, and they were unable to close the gap sufficiently to claim victory.

Cleveland’s Darius Garland was the standout performer, contributing 21 points, six assists, and one rebound. However, beyond Garland, the Cavaliers struggled to find offensive rhythm, and no other player made a significant impact.

With this victory, the Pacers become the 10th team in NBA playoff history to score 80 or more points in the first half of a game. They join the Oklahoma City Thunder, who scored 87 points in Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets earlier this week.

The Pacers now head into Game 5 with the chance to close out the series and advance to the next round.