Game Preview: Pacers vs Cavaliers

Sunday, Feb. 5 at 5:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

After splitting two hard-fought games on Thursday and Friday, the Pacers (25-29) will look to secure a winning homestand on Sunday evening, when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers (32-22) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

It will be the third meeting this season for the two Central Division rivals, who split a pair of games in December, with each team winning on its home court.

The Pacers opened their homestand with two remarkably similar games. They lost a 14-point fourth quarter lead on Thursday, dropping a 112-111 nail-biter to the Lakers. Friday's game nearly followed the same script, as Indiana led Sacramento by 19 in the third quarter before the Kings rallied.

But this time, the Pacers made enough key plays down the stretch to hold on for a 107-104 win. Buddy Hield led the way with an all-around performance, tallying 21 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. He went 5-for-9 from 3-point range, but also showed off some unexpected hops, flying in for two putback baskets earlier in the game and then throwing down a huge baseline slam in the final minutes to help secure the victory.

The Pacers have definitely been buoyed by the return of All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has averaged 18 points and 10.5 assists since returning from knee and elbow injuries at the start of the homestand. Haliburton has still shown a little rust shooting the ball after sitting out three weeks, but it's clear that his presence has ignited Indiana's offense, including players like Aaron Nesmith, who has averaged 20.5 points and gone 9-for-15 from 3-point range over the past two contests.

The Cavaliers are fighting for a top-four seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Cleveland is currently in fifth place, but just a half-game back of Brooklyn.

The Cavs have their own All-Star guard in Donovan Mitchell, who ranks 12th in the league in scoring at 27.1 points per game. Mitchell torched the Pacers for 41 points in a win on Dec. 16 in Cleveland and dropped a career-best 71 (the highest single-game total of any player this season) in a Jan. 2 overtime victory over Chicago. Slowing down Mitchell won't be an easy task -- expect Nesmith and rookie guard Andrew Nembhard to get the bulk of the minutes guarding him.

Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Andrew Nembhard, F - Buddy Hield, F - Aaron Nesmith, C - Myles Turner

Cavaliers: G - Darius Garland, G - Donovan Mitchell, F - Isaac Okoro, F - Evan Mobley, C - Jarrett Allen

Pacers: Daniel Theis - questionable (right knee injury management)

Cavaliers: Caris LeVert - questionable (sore right hamstring), Dylan Windler - out (right ankle sprain)

Dec. 29, 2022: The Pacers shot 56.5 percent from the field and 61.3 percent from 3-point range, pulling away late for a 135-126 win over the Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Tyrese Haliburton had a game-high 29 points and nine assists, going 6-for-8 from 3-point range in the victory. Buddy Hield added 25 points and went 10-for-14 from the field and 5-for-6 from beyond the arc, while Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points off the bench.

Aaron Nesmith tallied 22 points and provided the highlight of the night, posterizing Jarrett Allen with a massive right hand slam with 4:26 remaining.

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 28 points. Allen added 19 points and 14 assists, former Pacer Caris LeVert scored 19 off the bench, and Darius Garland tallied 18 points and eight assists.

TV: Bally Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)

The Pacers wrap up a three-game homestand by welcoming Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 5:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>