{"id":6786,"date":"2025-05-12T04:07:19","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T04:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umyonews.site\/index.php\/2025\/05\/12\/pacers-build-41-point-halftime-lead-rout-cavs-129-109-for-3-1-series-lead\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T04:07:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T04:07:19","slug":"pacers-build-41-point-halftime-lead-rout-cavs-129-109-for-3-1-series-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umyonews.site\/index.php\/2025\/05\/12\/pacers-build-41-point-halftime-lead-rout-cavs-129-109-for-3-1-series-lead\/","title":{"rendered":"Pacers build 41-point halftime lead, rout Cavs 129-109 for 3-1 series lead"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Pascal Siakam<\/a> scored 21 points and the Indiana Pacers<\/a> tied an NBA<\/a> playoff record by taking a 41-point halftime lead before routing the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers<\/a> on Sunday, 129-109<\/a>, for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.<\/p>\n

The Pacers can earn a second straight trip to the East finals with a victory Tuesday in Cleveland, where they won the first two games.<\/p>\n

Indiana jumped to an 80-39 lead at halftime and led by 44 points. The 41-point lead matched the margin Cleveland set in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference finals against Boston<\/a>, according to Sportradar.<\/p>\n

And Indiana did it mostly without Bennedict Mathurin<\/a>, one of its top playoff scorers, who was ejected just 7 1\/2 minutes into the game for a flagrant foul.<\/p>\n

Darius Garland<\/a> led the Cavs with 21 points and Donovan Mitchell<\/a> had 17 points despite not playing in the second half because of a left ankle injury. Coach Kenny Atkinson said his All-Star guard would have an MRI exam on Monday.<\/p>\n

For the Pacers, it was a redeeming moment in front of a towel-waving home crowd just two days after an embarrassing 22-point loss on its home court. The Cavs dominated the glass, held two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton<\/a> to four points and five assists and fought harder than Indiana.<\/p>\n

This time, the Pacers left no doubt about who would be the aggressor.<\/p>\n

Indiana took control quickly with early runs of 11-2 and 13-0 to build a commanding 48-23 lead with 9:24 left in the first half. They didn’t stop \u2014 or back down \u2014 there, either, closing the half on a 19-2 run.<\/p>\n

Aaron Nesmith<\/a>‘s buzzer-beating midrange jumper put the Pacers in another exclusive club \u2014 the 10th team in playoff history and second this week to score 80 points in the first half of a playoff game. Oklahoma City<\/a> scored 87 points in Game 2<\/a> against Denver<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Myles Turner<\/a> made all four of his 3-point attempts and scored 20 points, as did Obi Toppin.<\/p>\n

Reporting by The Associated Press.<\/i><\/p>\n

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