Game ID: 22401168
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Indiana Pacers
Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM ET
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
IND 28 24 29 33 114CLE 23 33 26 30 112
CLE @ IND ScoutingCLE @ IND Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
IND availability going into 4/02 · 1 day's restOUT Mathurin missed 2 since 3/29, out tonight
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 69 since 11/04, out tonight
IND availability going into 4/04 · 1 day's restOUT Mathurin missed 3 since 3/29, returns tonight: 23 min (85% of 27)
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 70 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Que. Jackson missed 2 since 3/31, out tonight
NEW Walker 15 to 21 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 4/06 · 1 day's restOUT Isa. Jackson missed 71 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Que. Jackson missed 3 since 3/31, out tonight
BACK Mathurin back 4/04 after 3, 23 min since (85% of 27)
NEW Walker 15 to 22 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 4/08 · 1 day's restOUT Isa. Jackson missed 72 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Que. Jackson missed 4 since 3/31, out tonight
BACK Mathurin back 4/04 after 3, 22 min since (81% of 27)
NEW Walker 15 to 21 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 4/10 · 1 day's restOUT Sheppard missed 2 since 4/06, out tonight
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 73 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Que. Jackson missed 5 since 3/31, out tonight
BACK Mathurin back 4/04 after 3, 24 min since (88% of 27)
IND availability going into 4/11 · back-to-backOUT Sheppard missed 3 since 4/06, out tonight
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 74 since 11/04, out tonight
OUT Que. Jackson missed 6 since 3/31, returns tonight: 20 min (147% of 14)
BACK Mathurin back 4/04 after 3, 24 min since (88% of 27)
IND availability going into 4/13 · 1 day's restOUT Sheppard missed 4 since 4/06, out tonight
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 75 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Mathurin back 4/04 after 3, 27 min since (101% of 27)
BACK Que. Jackson back 4/11 after 6, 20 min since (147% of 14)
IND availability going into 4/19 · 5 days' restOUT Haliburton missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 34 min (102% of 34)
OUT Siakam missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 33 min (100% of 33)
OUT Sheppard missed 5 since 4/06, out tonight
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 76 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Que. Jackson back 4/11 after 6, 30 min since (219% of 14)
NEW Walker 15 to 21 min over the last 5
IND availability going into 4/22 · 2 days' restOUT Sheppard missed 6 since 4/06, out tonight
OUT Isa. Jackson missed 77 since 11/04, out tonight
BACK Haliburton back 4/19 after 2, 34 min since (102% of 34)
BACK Siakam back 4/19 after 2, 33 min since (100% of 33)
BACK Que. Jackson back 4/11 after 6, 30 min since (219% of 14)
NEW Walker 15 to 20 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 4/02 · 2 days' restOUT Jerome missed 3 since 3/27, out tonight
OUT Tomlin missed 17 since 2/28, returns tonight: 2 min (17% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/04 · 1 day's restOUT Jerome missed 4 since 3/27, out tonight
BACK Tomlin back 4/02 after 17, 2 min since (17% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/06 · 1 day's restOUT Wade missed 2 since 4/02, returns tonight: 4 min (17% of 20)
OUT Jerome missed 5 since 3/27, returns tonight: 23 min (116% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/02 after 17, 2 min since (17% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/08 · 1 day's restOUT Tomlin missed 2 since 4/04, out tonight
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 4 min since (17% of 20)
BACK Jerome back 4/06 after 5, 23 min since (116% of 20)
CLE availability going into 4/10 · 1 day's restOUT Tomlin missed 3 since 4/04, out tonight
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 12 min since (59% of 20)
BACK Jerome back 4/06 after 5, 22 min since (111% of 20)
CLE availability going into 4/11 · back-to-backOUT Mitchell missed 2 since 4/08, out tonight
OUT Tomlin missed 4 since 4/04, out tonight
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 18 min since (87% of 20)
BACK Jerome back 4/06 after 5, 23 min since (117% of 20)
CLE availability going into 4/13 · 1 day's restOUT Mitchell missed 3 since 4/08, out tonight
OUT Tomlin missed 5 since 4/04, returns tonight: 47 min (369% of 13)
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 20 min since (98% of 20)
BACK Jerome back 4/06 after 5, 23 min since (117% of 20)
CLE availability going into 4/20 · 6 days' restOUT Mitchell missed 4 since 4/08, returns tonight: 33 min (106% of 32)
OUT Hunter missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 16 min (65% of 25)
OUT Jerome missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 26 min (132% of 20)
OUT Merrill missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 24 min (121% of 20)
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 20 min since (98% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/13 after 5, 47 min since (369% of 13)
NEW Okoro 18 to 24 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 4/23 · 2 days' restBACK Mitchell back 4/20 after 4, 33 min since (106% of 32)
BACK Hunter back 4/20 after 2, 16 min since (65% of 25)
BACK Jerome back 4/20 after 2, 26 min since (132% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 4/20 after 2, 24 min since (121% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/13 after 5, 47 min since (369% of 13)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 109, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 24 free throws a game; Turner at 20 and Siakam at 18 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Sheppard (2 straight), Isa. Jackson (73 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 17 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Mobley at 19 a game. One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Cleveland giving it away 13 times a game to Indiana's 8 and the line, where Indiana takes 24 free throws a game to Cleveland's 17. Call it Indiana 117, Cleveland 116, Cleveland keeping it close.
4/02 vs CHA 119-105 — IND notes
IND won 119-105. IND shot 49% (47 of 95) to CHA's 53%, 18 of 44 from three, and got to the line 10 times to CHA's 18. IND turned it over 6 times to CHA's 18. Haliburton led with 22 (9 of 15, 4 of 6 from three); Nesmith added 16, Turner 15. The hinge was Q1, 32-25: from level to 7 ahead, and the lead reached 18. Walker was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
4/04 vs UTA 140-112 — IND notes
IND won 140-112. IND shot 57% (51 of 89) to UTA's 38%, 12 of 32 from three, and went to the line 38 times to UTA's 21 — 26 points from the stripe to their 18. Turner led with 26 (9 of 17, 3 of 7 from three, 5 of 8 at the line); Siakam added 22, Mathurin 20. The hinge was Q4, 42-18: a lead of 4 became 28. IND trailed 57-59 at the half and won the second half 83-53. Sheppard was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
4/06 @ DEN 125-120 — IND notes
IND won 125-120. IND shot 48% (46 of 96) to DEN's 54%, 15 of 44 from three. IND turned it over 6 times to DEN's 13. Turner led with 24 (8 of 16, 4 of 10 from three); Toppin added 22, Nembhard 19. The hinge was Q3, 37-31: IND came in trailing by 5 and left it ahead by 1. IND trailed 61-66 at the half and won the second half 64-54.
4/08 vs WAS 104-98 — IND notes
IND won 104-98. IND shot 38% (33 of 87) to WAS's 42%, 9 of 35 from three, and went to the line 37 times to WAS's 15 — 29 points from the stripe to their 11. Siakam led with 24 (11 of 19); Haliburton added 22, Mathurin 17. The hinge was Q2, 27-13: IND came in trailing by 14 and left it level. Toppin was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
4/10 vs CLE 114-112 — IND notes
IND won 114-112. IND shot 46% (43 of 93) to CLE's 44%, 14 of 41 from three, and went to the line 20 times to CLE's 13 — 14 points from the stripe to their 9. Haliburton led with 23 (8 of 16, 4 of 11 from three); Nesmith added 22, Walker 15. The hinge was Q1, 28-23: from level to 5 ahead. IND trailed 52-56 at the half and won the second half 62-56.
4/11 vs ORL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 109, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 25 free throws a game; Haliburton at 19 and Turner at 18 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Sheppard (3 straight), Isa. Jackson (74 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Orlando comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 97, shooting 45 percent and 36 from three, 20 free throws a game; Banchero at 26 and Wagner at 23 a game. That is 4 straight wins. One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the defense, Orlando allowing 97 a night to Indiana's 109 and the turnovers, Orlando giving it away 11 times a game to Indiana's 7. Call it Indiana 111, Orlando 108, Orlando keeping it close.
4/13 @ CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 18 free throws a game; Jerome at 21 and Garland at 20 a game. Without Mitchell (3 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 30 free throws a game; Turner at 19 and Siakam at 19 a game. Without Sheppard (4 straight), Isa. Jackson (75 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the line, where Indiana takes 30 free throws a game to Cleveland's 18 and the arc, Cleveland at 41 percent from three to Indiana's 34. Call it Cleveland 118, Indiana 114, Indiana keeping it close.
4/19 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 115, shooting 43 percent and 31 from three, 27 free throws a game; Haliburton at 18 and Turner at 15 a game. Without Haliburton (2 straight), Siakam (2 straight), Sheppard (5 straight). 5 days' rest. Milwaukee comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 115, shooting 50 percent and 41 from three, 25 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 28 and Porter Jr. at 19 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Lillard (14 straight). 5 days' rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the arc, Milwaukee at 41 percent from three to Indiana's 31. Call it Indiana 117, Milwaukee 116, Milwaukee keeping it close.
4/22 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 111, shooting 44 percent and 32 from three, 28 free throws a game; Siakam at 20 and Haliburton at 18 a game. Without Sheppard (6 straight), Isa. Jackson (77 straight). 2 days' rest. Milwaukee comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 117, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 26 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 30 and Porter Jr. at 17 a game. Without Lillard (15 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the arc, Milwaukee at 39 percent from three to Indiana's 32. Call it Indiana 117, Milwaukee 114, Milwaukee keeping it close.
4/02 vs NYK 124-105 — CLE notes
CLE won 124-105. CLE shot 53% (50 of 94) to NYK's 44%, 12 of 37 from three. Mitchell led with 27 (10 of 18, 3 of 7 from three); Allen added 21, Garland 17. The hinge was Q3, 38-25: CLE came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 6, and the lead reached 21. CLE trailed 53-60 at the half and won the second half 71-45. Mobley was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
4/04 @ SAS 114-113 — CLE notes
CLE won 114-113. CLE shot 47% (41 of 87) to SAS's 44%, 22 of 51 from three. Mitchell led with 26 (8 of 18, 6 of 11 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Mobley added 25, Garland 19. The hinge was Q1, 38-28: from level to 10 ahead, and the lead reached 23.
4/06 vs SAC 113-120 — CLE notes
CLE lost 113-120. CLE shot 52% (46 of 88) to SAC's 54%, 10 of 38 from three. Jerome led with 20 (9 of 13, 1 of 4 from three); Mitchell added 19, Allen 17. Q2 was theirs, 30-25, turning a 4-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 95-83 against them. Hunter's -28 in 22 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/08 vs CHI 135-113 — CLE notes
CLE won 135-113. CLE shot 51% (51 of 100) to CHI's 48%, 25 of 50 from three, and got to the line 13 times to CHI's 19. CLE turned it over 12 times to CHI's 20. Garland led with 28 (10 of 17, 6 of 10 from three); Mobley added 21, Jerome 18. The hinge was Q2, 43-24: a lead of 1 became 20, and the lead reached 27. Strus was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
4/10 @ IND 112-114 — CLE notes
CLE lost 112-114. CLE shot 44% (43 of 98) to IND's 46%, 17 of 37 from three, and got to the line 13 times to IND's 20. Jerome led with 24 (9 of 16, 4 of 6 from three); Hunter added 23, Porter Jr. 16. Q2 was theirs, 33-24, turning a 5-point deficit into a 4-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 90-79 against them. They led by as many as 11. Green's -14 in 22 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/11 @ NYK — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 18 free throws a game; Towns at 27 and Anunoby at 23 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 113, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 15 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Jerome at 21 a game. Without Mitchell (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the arc, Cleveland at 40 percent from three to New York's 36. Call it New York 116, Cleveland 115, Cleveland keeping it close.
4/13 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 18 free throws a game; Jerome at 21 and Garland at 20 a game. Without Mitchell (3 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 30 free throws a game; Turner at 19 and Siakam at 19 a game. Without Sheppard (4 straight), Isa. Jackson (75 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the line, where Indiana takes 30 free throws a game to Cleveland's 18 and the arc, Cleveland at 41 percent from three to Indiana's 34. Call it Cleveland 118, Indiana 114, Indiana keeping it close.
4/20 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 115, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 19 free throws a game; Garland at 21 and Jerome at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Mitchell (4 straight), Hunter (2 straight), Jerome (2 straight). 6 days' rest. Miami comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 114, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 16 free throws a game; Adebayo at 24 and Herro at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Jović (27 straight). 6 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Cleveland giving it away 15 times a game to Miami's 11. Call it Cleveland 117, Miami 114, Miami keeping it close.
4/23 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 40 from three, 19 free throws a game; Garland at 27 and Jerome at 23 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. 2 days' rest. Miami comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 114, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 16 free throws a game; Herro at 23 and Adebayo at 22 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Cleveland 117, Miami 113, Miami keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
INDAN A. Nembhard
AN A. Nesmith
BM B. Mathurin
JW J. Walker
MT M. Turner
OT O. Toppin
PS P. Siakam
TB T. Bryant
TH T. Haliburton
TM T. McConnell
CLECP C. Porter Jr.
DH D. Hunter
DW D. Wade
IO I. Okoro
JA J. Allen
JG J. Green
JT J. Tyson
SM S. Merrill
TJ T. Jerome
TT T. Thompson
IND/CLE the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Haliburton scores 23, Pacers secure top-four seed in East with 114-112 win over short-handed Cavs
INDIANAPOLIS -- — Tyrese Haliburton scored eight of his 23 points during a key scoring run in the fourth quarter and Aaron Nesmith added 22 points to help the Indiana Pacers rally past the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers 114-112 Thursday night.
Indiana won its sixth straight and secured a top-four seed and the home-court advantage in a playoff series for the first time since 2014. The Pacers are also one win away from their first 50-win season since 2013-14.
Haliburton added 10 assists, eight rebounds and three blocks while making four 3-pointers. Myles Turner had 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.
Cleveland's Ty Jerome finished with 24 points and six assists despite being held out of the fourth quarter. De'Andre Hunters had 23 points and 11 rebounds. And, Jaylon Tyson missed a midrange jumper at the buzzer that could have forced overtime.
Coach Kenny Atkinson rested four of his five starters because the Cavs had already clinched the No. 1 seed in the East. Center Jarett Allen grabbed 10 rebounds in the first half before joining the starters on the bench, and Atkinson was ejected after drawing consecutive technical fouls for arguing following a no-call with 58.6 seconds left in the third quarter.
Takeaways Cavaliers: Even without their regulars, Atkinson's team delivered a strong performance. While Cleveland didn't win, its strong bench play sent a message to the rest of the league about what to expect in the playoffs.
Pacers: Indiana spent months chasing home-court advantage — and now they have it. The Pacers didn't earn many style points Thursday, but they were gritty enough to give coach Rick Carlisle a choice — rest his his players or chase the No. 3 seed.
Key moment Haliburton made back-to-back 3-pointers to cap a 10-0 run that erased a 107-103 deficit and gave Indiana a 113-107 lead with about three minutes left.
Key stat Indiana outscored Cleveland 23-9 on fast-break points.
Up next The Cavaliers are at Neew York on Friday. The Pacers host Orlando on Friday.