2025-26 Game Rewind

Wheat Hotchkiss

Sunday, April 12 at 6:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

In their final game of the 2025-26 season, the Pacers (19-63) fell to the Detroit Pistons (60-22) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, 133-121.

Quenton Jackson scored 21 points, dished out eight assists, and collected three steals in the season finale to lead the Blue & Gold. Obi Toppin also tallied 21 points in just 18 minutes off the bench, matching his career high for 3-pointers made by going 7-for-11 from beyond the arc.

Paul Reed led Detroit with 26 points and six rebounds on perfect 11-for-11 shooting, while also going 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Tobias Harris added 24 points in 22 minutes on 9-of-12 shooting (4-for-4 from 3-point range).

The Pacers had just nine active players for the season finale on Sunday. Tyrese Haliburton, Johnny Furphy, Ivica Zubac, Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, T.J. McConnell, Ben Sheppard, and Jarace Walker all missed the game due to injury.

While the Pistons have had the top seed in the upcoming Eastern Conference playoffs locked up for several games, they only rested All-Star center Jalen Duren, electing to play all their other key players into the second half on Sunday.

The Pistons jumped out to an early lead on Sunday. Reed scored 14 of Detroit's first 24 points and Harris added the other 10. Reed started the night 5-for-5 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line, while Harris went 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point range.

Detroit led by as many as 12 in the early going. Toppin provided a nice spark after checking in off the bench midway through the first quarter, knocking down three of four 3-point attempts.

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But the Pistons reeled off a 9-0 run later in the frame to extend the margin to 17 and took a 41-27 lead into the second quarter.

The ensuing frame was marked by a series of runs. Micah Potter scored eight points and knocked down a pair of threes to trigger an 11-2 Indiana run that trimmed the deficit to 52-47. But the Pistons quickly countered once again, this time with All-Star guard Cade Cunningham scoring seven points during a 13-0 spurt.

Toppin and Potter continued their 3-point barrage, as Toppin buried three more triples and Potter added another during a 14-6 run by the Blue & Gold to get back within eight. But Detroit responded by closing the half with a 12-2 run to take an 81-63 lead into the break.

The Pistons' 81 points in the first half were the most the Pacers allowed in the first half all season.

The Pistons stretched the lead as high as 27 points in the third quarter and all but sealed the outcome.

Toppin provided some excitement for the home fans in the final minute of the frame, however. First, he tied his career-best mark by knocking down his seventh 3-pointer of the game with 29.9 seconds left. Then, after Jalen Slawson stole the ball in the closing seconds of the quarter, Toppin raced ahead and threw down his famous Eastbay between-the-legs dunk, though he was just a fraction of a second too late after the buzzer for it to count.

Detroit took a 108-89 lead into the fourth quarter. The Pacers managed to get back within single digits in the closing minutes, as back-to-back threes from Ethan Thompson and Jay Huff cut Detroit's lead to 126-120 with 2:21 to go. But that would be the closest they would get.

Kobe Brown finished with 20 points and seven rebounds while going 4-for-7 from 3-point range for Indiana. Thompson tallied 18 points and six assists, while Potter recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Jay Huff was the sixth and final Pacer in double figures, finishing with 13 points and five blocks.

Isaiah Stewart had 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting and five rebounds off the bench for Detroit. Fellow reserve Kevin Huerter added 15 points and three steals. Cunningham finished with just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting, but did tally eight rebounds and 14 assists in 22 minutes of action.

Next up for the Pacers is the NBA Draft Lottery on May 10 in Chicago. The Pacers will only keep their pick if it lands in the top four, otherwise it will go to the Clippers as a condition of the Feb. 5 trade for Zubac. Indiana has a 52.1 percent chance of landing a top-four pick. The Pacers have not drafted in the top four since taking Rik Smits second overall in 1988 and have never had the first overall pick.

Toppin's seven 3-pointers matched his career high, which he set previously on March 17, 2025 at Minnesota.

Brown's 20 points were a new career high. It was his first 20-point game in his 145th career game.

Potter recorded a double-double in each of the final three games this season and four of his final five.

Thompson scored 15 points or more in each of the last four games of the season.

The Pistons outscored Indiana 62-36 in points in the paint.

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Rick Carlisle Reflects on 2025-26 Season, Talks About Opportunities Moving Forward | Exit Interview

“It was a very difficult game, but our guys fought really hard and got it to six at the end. The crowd stayed and was into it. Couldn’t ask for much more." -Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle on Sunday's game

“That was really cool. I owe it all to my teammates, especially Q [Quenton Jackson]. I feel like Q hit me for the majority of my points. I owe it all to my teammates. They hit me when I was open. It went my way tonight." -Brown on his career-high night

“Obi’s situation is one of the real positives…When you regain rhythm, you refresh your confidence and your feel and all those kinds of things. Tonight was a nice way to top it off with him shooting the ball the way he did, playing the way he did.” -Carlisle on Toppin's strong close to the season

“It’s a humbling year…After last year, just the rash of things that happened was really humbling enough and then we started 1-13. Our guys played their butts off all year. Was just proud of the way the guys stuck with it. We learned a lot about our roster." -Carlisle on his takeaways from the season

The Pacers set a season high with 23 3-pointers and also took a season-high 54 attempts. They shot 42.6 percent from beyond the arc and tied for the second-most 3-pointers made in a game in franchise history.

Secure seats for next season. 2026-27 season tickets are on sale now. Find Tickets >>

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Game Rewind: Pacers 121, Pistons 133

Friday, April 10 at 7:30 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Back home for their penultimate game of the 2025-26 season, the shorthanded Pacers hung tough with the 76ers on Friday night on the second night of a back-to-back.

But Indiana (18-62) ultimately fell short in a 103-91 loss to Philadelphia (43-37).

Jarace Walker led four Pacers in double figures with 17 points in the loss, going 4-for-7 from 3-point range. Quenton Jackson added 16 points and six assists, while Micah Potter recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pacers had just 10 players available on Friday, with eight players sidelined due to injury. Forward Kobe Brown was back on the court after sitting out Thursday's win in Brooklyn with a lumbar sprain.

Sixers All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 32 points, while former Pacer Paul George added 21.

The Pacers hit three early 3-pointers while jumping out to a 13-5 lead. But the Sixers closed the first quarter with a 14-3 run to take a 28-21 advantage into the second quarter.

Philadelphia extended its lead with six straight points to open the ensuing frame before a basket from Walker and three from Potter righted the ship for Indiana.

Rookie two-way guard Taelon Peter provided a nice spark off the bench in the second quarter, tallying nine points in the frame to keep the Blue & Gold within striking distance. Back-to-back threes from Potter and Walker pulled the Pacers within five with 1:30 remaining in the first half, but a dunk by George in the closing seconds made it a 58-51 game at the intermission.

The Pacers continued their rally at the start of the second half. Ethan Thompson knocked down a three and Walker followed with two more. Potter's putback slam tied the game at 62 just 2:33 into the third quarter.

But the Sixers surged back ahead with eight unanswered points. A few minutes later, after Indiana had pulled back within four, George scored seven points to trigger a 9-2 run that pushed the margin back to double digits.

Maxey added 12 points in the third quarter as Philadelphia took an 89-77 lead into the fourth.

But the Pacers continued to fight, opening the fourth quarter with a 10-2 — capped by an alley-oop dunk in transition by Obi Toppin — to make it 91-87.

That would be the closest they would get, however, as they went scoreless for the next 6:47. The Sixers reeled off 10 unanswered points over that span to seal the win.

Thompson finished with 15 points in the loss for Indiana. Jay Huff narrowly missed out on a double-double off the bench, tallying eight points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks.

VJ Edgecombe tallied 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists for Philadelphia. Andre Drummond had 10 points and 16 rebounds off the bench.

The Pacers have one game remaining in the season. They host Detroit on Sunday afternoon.

“I thought our guys did a tremendous job of competing tonight," Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said Friday night. "We knew they needed this game in a major way, but we also knew we had a great fanbase out there. It was important for our guys to show up, compete, make them earn whatever they got. We’ll do the exact same thing on Sunday.”

Potter recorded his second double-double in as many nights and his third in his last four games. He has six double-doubles in 46 games this season with the Pacers, after registering just one double-double in 54 games prior to this season.

Thompson has scored in double figures in three straight games and four of his last six contests.

Huff's five blocks matched his season high. He previously swatted five shots on Dec. 5 in Chicago and on March 8 in Portland.

After the Pacers outscored Brooklyn 80-56 in the paint on Thursday, it was an entirely different story on Friday, as the 76ers won the points in the paint battle, 64-28.

The Pacers shot just 37.5 percent from the field, but they did outscore Philadelphia by 27 points from 3-point range. Indiana was 14-for-50 (28 percent) from 3-point range, while the 76ers were just 5-for-29 (17.2 percent) from beyond the arc.

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Asst. Coach Lloyd Pierce on Jarace Walker Playing Impactful Minutes & Growth | Media Availability

“They’re an aggressive individual defensive team. They have a lot of guys that play passing lanes…Just their activity I thought bothered us early and then we were sloppy late. Some crucial turnovers in the fourth quarter just that were unforced, self-inflicted.” -Pierce on the Pacers’ 21 turnovers

“We got in a couple stretches where we had lapses turning the ball over. I think that’s just something we as a unit have to get better at.” -Jackson on Indiana’s turnovers

“The availability of Jarace all year has been great for us. The amount of minutes he’s played is going to have some long-term impact and effect on his growth and development. He’s going to know what he’s going to need to work on in the offseason just based on the experience…The shooting has been one of his strong points since he’s been here. We’re always on him about the force, the physicality, the rebounding, and being solid on defense. If he can do those things, he’s going to have a great career. He’s done a lot of that this year for us.” -Pierce on Jarace Walker’s season

“Micah’s an emotional player, he’s a physical player. He doesn’t shy away from contact. I thought he’s done a great job rebounding the basketball since he’s been here. And then obviously his ability to step out and shoot the three and make the three is a big threat.” -Pierce on Potter’s impact

“Just my confidence, going from game to game and seeing that I could produce and [have] an impact on an NBA floor, that’s been the main thing for me. And as a team over time, we’ve had so many different lineups out there, so many different lineup changes as well. Over time, chemistry builds.” -Thompson on how he and the team have grown this season

“Everybody’s got to step up, it’s next man up. Some people got thrusted into roles they may not be necessarily comfortable in…This year was one of those years where you kind of had to learn how to adapt. I think it was great for the development of all of us, it was great for our confidence as our team. And then next year we’ll come back and make a stand.” -Jackson on what the Pacers can take from adversity they’ve faced this season

“The fans have been with us the entire season. Nothing’s going to change on Sunday. We want to make sure we’re giving them our maximum effort. We’re going to make sure we’re showing our appreciation for them just by how hard we play.” -Pierce on showing the importance of competing hard for the fans in the season finale on Friday

The Pacers committed 21 turnovers to just eight giveaways by the Sixers. Philadelphia outscored Indiana 18-5 in points off turnovers.

The Pacers will wrap up the 2025-26 season by hosting the Detroit Pistons for Fan Appreciation Night presented by Kroger on Sunday, April 12 at 6:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

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Game Rewind: Pacers 91, 76ers 103

Madie Chandler-Donahue

Thursday, April 9 at 7:30 PM ET at Barclays Center

The Pacers closed out their road schedule in Brooklyn as they took on a depleted Nets team on Thursday. Nineteen players between both teams were out for Thursday’s matchup as the Pacers deployed their 47th unique starting lineup this season – the second most starting lineups in the NBA.&nbsp;

Indiana defeated the Nets soundly, 123-94, behind Obi Toppin's season-high 26 points and Micah Potter's double-double. The victory marks the Pacers' 19th win this season.

Despite all of the injury flux, Indiana had a strong start. Toppin scored 12 points off the Indiana bench in just six minutes as the Pacers closed the first quarter on a 27-6 run. Indiana took a 17-point advantage into the second quarter and led the Nets after one, 31-14.&nbsp;

Brooklyn’s 14 points in the first frame marked the lowest first quarter total by a Pacers opponent all season.

Indiana had doubled up Brooklyn by the seven-minute mark of the second period, 40-20, and the Pacers didn’t look back. The Nets struggled to hit shots – they hit just 31 percent of their shots from the floor, including 21 percent from deep.&nbsp;

The Pacers were in-sync and on-rhythm throughout the first half, and knocked down 52 percent of their looks. Indiana was strong in the paint, and scored 46 paint points while grabbing 38 first-half rebounds.&nbsp;

Toppin remained Indiana’s top scorer, and had 14 points and seven rebounds entering halftime. Toppin was one of three Pacers to grab seven or more rebounds – Potter (nine) and Jarace Walker (eight) also hit the boards hard.&nbsp;

No Nets reached double figures in the first half, and E.J. Liddell led Brooklyn with eight points.&nbsp;

The Pacers entered the halftime break with a 26-point advantage, 63-37. Brooklyn’s 37 points are the fewest Indiana has allowed in the first half this season by a margin of five points.&nbsp;

The Nets showed some fight in the third quarter, and whittled the lead down to 18 points near the midpoint of the period. Ethan Thompson responded with a swat that he tossed down the court to a waiting Toppin, who dropped it in the bucket for two.&nbsp;

Toppin showed off his own passing skills later in the third as he caught a hit-ahead pass from Quenton Jackson, but instead of throwing down a fastbreak dunk, bounced the ball behind himself back to Jackson. Jackson completed the slam, and Indiana closed the third quarter leading by 26 points, 98-72.&nbsp;

The Pacers led by 30 points early in the fourth quarter, and closed out the Nets without much trouble, 123-94. Indiana led by as many as 32 points in the effort, and grabbed a new season-high 66 rebounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Toppin and Liddell each scored 26 points to lead their respective teams. Toppin also notched nine rebounds and three assists for the Pacers. Seven Pacers reached double-figure scoring totals, including Potter, who contributed an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double.&nbsp;

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for their final two games of the year as they host Philadelphia on Friday and Detroit on Sunday to conclude the regular season.

Indiana grabbed 38 rebounds in the first half. That’s more rebounds than they’ve grabbed in 18 total games this season.&nbsp;

The Pacers recorded a season-high 66 rebounds, surpassing their previous season-high of 56 rebounds set against Brooklyn in November.&nbsp;

Obi Toppin recorded a season-high 26 points.&nbsp;

Indiana recorded 40+ assists for the second time this season with 43 assists in Brooklyn.

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Assistant Coach Lloyd Pierce Details Dominant Win Over Nets in Brooklyn | April 7, 2026

“I think coach [Rick Carlisle] has really instilled an offensive system that empowers everyone, so as long as the ball is moving, we're going to create some advantages. We're going to create some opportunities. Obviously, we've been on a great run. It's just us understanding how we want to play and just trying to take advantage of that.” – coach Lloyd Pierce on Indiana’s fast-paced offense

“You want to be organized. We want to get quality shots as often as we can, so pace will always be a part of our identity. A lot of our pace goes side to side, not just vertically, but I think our guys understand our spacing with our pace and how we can create some advantages.” – Pierce on Indiana’s approach to pace in the halfcourt&nbsp;

“Positional size in our league is always something you seek out, and Jarace [Walker] has great size as a three…He has the ability to see the floor, but he also has the ability to pass over defenders to make plays. I think that's something that he's starting to come into his own with…He's got great positional size. He's got a great feel and eye for the game, so he's taking advantage of it.” – Pierce on Jarace Walker’s growth

The Pacers dominated the paint, scoring 80 points to the Nets’ 56 down low.&nbsp;

The Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

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Game Rewind: Pacers 123, Nets 94

Tuesday, April 7 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

The Pacers returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday to host the Minnesota Timberwolves in a matchup between two shorthanded squads.&nbsp;

Indiana struggled with turnovers, and fell to the Timberwolves, 124-104.

Minnesota was without Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels as the pair of Timberwolves each battled knee injuries. Indiana had several key players sidelined – T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Pascal Siakam (ankle), Andrew Nembhard (back), Aaron Nesmith (neck), and Ben Sheppard (hip) were all unavailable.&nbsp;

Minnesota made five straight 3-point shots over a 2:33 period in the first quarter en route to a lead that would reach double digits. The Timberwolves hit six of their nine attempts from deep in the first period.&nbsp;

Indiana recorded six turnovers in the opening frame. Minnesota capitalized on those extra possessions, and led by as many as 15 points down the stretch of the quarter.&nbsp;

Kam Jones’ 3-pointer beat the first quarter buzzer as Indiana went into the second trailing by eight points, 35-27.&nbsp;

The Blue and Gold battled back to within nine points of the lead with four minutes to play in the first half, 48-39, after Quenton Jackson knocked down a pair of free throws.&nbsp;

Obi Toppin provided a needed pop of energy off the bench for the Pacers as he knocked down three of his six shots, and led Indiana in scoring with 12 points. Randle notched a game-high 14 points in the first half for the Timberwolves.&nbsp;

Indiana was tougher on defense in the second quarter. After allowing 35 points in the first, the Pacers conceded 28 in the second, and entered the halftime break trailing the Timberwolves by 10 points, 63-53.

The Blue and Gold fell behind again to open the second half, but back-to-back slams by Jackson and Micah Potter pulled Indiana back within 10 points of Minnesota, 77-67.

Minnesota responded with a 13-4 run to build its lead back to 19 points, 90-71.&nbsp;

Ethan Thompson marched to the free throw line seven times in the third quarter, and converted five of those seven attempts.&nbsp;

Indiana trailed after three, 102-77.&nbsp;

Minnesota kept its foot on the gas until the three-minute mark of the fourth quarter, when the Timberwolves starters exited for deep rotation players. The lead was 25 points.&nbsp;

Indiana cut that deficit down to 20 points over the final three minutes of play, but fell to the Timberwolves, 124-104.

The Pacers’ 22 turnovers interrupted any offensive rhythm they were able to create, and led to 34 points for the Timberwolves.&nbsp;

Thompson led Indiana in scoring as he recorded 17 points and four rebounds. Both Toppin and Jalen Slawson contributed 14 points off the Indiana bench. Ayo Dosunmu’s 24 points led the Timberwolves, and Randle finished the game with 19 points.&nbsp;

The Pacers are back in action on Thursday, April 9, at 7:30 PM ET when they take on the Nets in Brooklyn.

Six of Indiana’s 10 active players recorded double-figure scoring totals.&nbsp;

The Pacers committed 22 turnovers to Minnesota’s 18.&nbsp;

Indiana knocked down nine 3-point shots to the Timberwolves’ 17.&nbsp;

Minnesota shot 52 percent from the floor, and the Pacers shot 48 percent.

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Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability | April 7, 2026

“His early rim runs are elite. He and Pascal [Siakam] are two of the best in the game…He's been an active driver. He's a guy that works on his game. I mean, he's gotten better each year. And even though he's getting into his later 20s, to me he’s still a guy that's just entering his prime.” – coach Rick Carlisle on Obi Toppin’s improvement

“He plays with force, plays hard. The shooting is a key element of the NBA game now. He’s really worked on it in recent days. When you can pair up really good driving ability with long range ability, gaps become wider.” – Carlisle on Jalen Slawson’s progress&nbsp;

“It’s really important that we maintain the spirit that we’ve developed here really over the last five years. When things are tough you can lose some energy and things like that…We’ve got good guys. It’s easy to get beaten down when you lose a lot of games, but lately we've done some good things. Tonight was a bit of a step back, but Wednesday's another opportunity.” – Carlisle on Indiana’s performance without key players

“This is a great opportunity for us, especially in the position that we're in, to showcase how we can impact the NBA game. We’re grateful for the opportunity.” – Ethan Thompson on the impact increased NBA minutes have on two-way players

“The freedom in the offense allows us to use our creativity. We have a lot of creative guys on the team, a lot of different actions…With as many different guys as we've had playing big minutes this year, it takes a while to get accustomed to playing with each other, and I think we're starting to do that.” – Jalen Slawson on how Indiana’s free-flowing offense allows players to showcase creativity

The Pacers committed 22 turnovers that led to 34 Timberwolves points.&nbsp;

The Pacers travel to Brooklyn as they match up with the Nets in their final road game of the season on Thursday, April 9, 7:30 PM ET.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 104, Timberwolves 124

Sunday, April 5 at 6:00 PM ET at Rocket Arena

Despite having just nine available players, the Pacers led for the vast majority of the first three-plus quarters on the road on Sunday night in Cleveland.

But the Cavaliers' star power ultimately prevailed, as the Cavs (49-29) surged ahead in the fourth quarter behind All-Star guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden for a 117-108 victory. With the win, Cleveland completed a sweep of the four-game season series with Indiana (18-60).

Micah Potter was outstanding for Indiana in the loss, recording a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Obi Toppin also scored 21 points off the bench to go along with eight rebounds and four assists, while two-way forward Jalen Slawson scored a career-high 19 points, going 5-for-7 from 3-point range.

But Mitchell scored a game-high 38 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists for Cleveland, going 16-for-27 from the field and tallying 23 points in the second half. Harden added 28 points and seven assists while going 5-for-11 from 3-point range and 7-for-8 from the free throw line.

The Pacers had just nine available players on Sunday, as All-Star forward Pascal Siakam (left ankle sprain/lower back bruise) and reserve guard Ben Sheppard (right hip sprain) joined an already lengthy list of  players sidelined due to injuries.

"All in all, I'm just real proud of the group," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "To compete the way we did for three full quarters and a good chunk of the fourth, and to have a lead and to carry a lead for a long time with the group that was available was a great effort by them."

Even shorthanded, the Blue & Gold got off to a fast start on Sunday, knocking down seven of their first nine 3-point attempts. Slawson made three 3-pointers in the first 5:42 (he had never made more than two threes in any of his previous 20 NBA games).

Potter — a Mentor, Ohio native — got the start at center and donned blue shoes during starting lineup introductions to reveal that he and his wife are expecting a baby boy. The expectant father knocked down two early shots from beyond the arc and scored eight quick points to help Indiana jump out to a 20-10 lead.

The Pacers maintained the lead throughout the first quarter, but the Cavs had whittled it down to 32-31 by the end of the frame, as Mitchell scored 11 points in the first 12 minutes.

The Blue & Gold extended their lead again early in the second quarter. Slawson scored five more points during a 13-2 Indiana run that pushed the margin back to 12.

The Cavs once again clawed back behind Harden, who scored 13 points in the second quarter. Former Pacer Thomas Bryant's putback basket capped a 16-5 Cleveland run and made it 56-55 with 19.4 seconds remaining in the first half. But Quenton Jackson scored on the other end to give the Pacers a three-point lead at the intermission.

Cleveland took its first lead of the night early in the second half thanks to threes by Bryant and Mitchell, but the lead was short-lived. Toppin came off the bench and knocked down three 3-pointers while scoring 11 points in the third quarter.

Indiana led 91-86 late in the frame, but the Cavs scored the final four points to once again make it a one-point game entering the fourth quarter.

There were five lead changes and two ties in the first 2:30 of the final frame. Cleveland eventually surged ahead with an 11-0 spurt. They took the lead on Nae'Qwan Tomlin's three with 9:30 to play and Mitchell and Harden then helped extend the margin to double digits.

Indiana responded with six straight points to cut the Cavs' lead to 106-102 with under five minutes remaining, but Mitchell converted a floater and a three and then Harden added a layup to seal the win for the hosts.

Jackson tallied 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals for Indiana. Kobe Brown added 11 points, seven boards, and five assists.

Bryant recorded a double-double against his former team with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Keon Ellis added 13 points for Cleveland.

The Pacers will return home to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for three of their final four games. Indiana hosts Minnesota on Tuesday, travels to Brooklyn on Thursday, and then returns to Indianapolis to wrap up the 2025-26 season against Philadelphia on Friday and Detroit on Sunday.

Potter recorded his fifth career double-double on Sunday. Four of those double-doubles have come this season for the Pacers. Potter surpassed 20 points for the third time in his career on Sunday. The 10 highest-scoring performances of his career have all been with Indiana.

Slawson reached double figures for the third time in his career and set new career bests with 19 points and five 3-pointers.

Toppin's 21 points were a new season high. He set a new career high for both free throws made and attempted, going a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe.

Cleveland outscored Indiana 54-24 in points in the paint.

The Cavs outscored the Pacers 62-50 in the second half and 27-17 in the fourth quarter to rally for the victory.

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Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability | April 5, 2026

"We missed a few good looks, they converted. Our inability to get stops during that period really hurt us. I think they scored six or seven times in a row. That was a rough stretch." -Carlisle on the Cavs' run to take the lead for good in the fourth quarter

"I really thought the effort was terrific. We've got some guys stepping up into some big roles here and doing some good things." -Carlisle on his team's performance

"I decided tonight to make the switch because this is a big deal. It's really a momentous thing having your first child. This is a little bit unusual way to announce it, but if we can help light up one of our guys and make it even more special, why not do it?" -Carlisle on opting to start Potter on the day of his gender reveal

"He's doing a lot of good things...Slawson's doing well. He's been working on his shooting. That's pretty obvious. [He's] getting in a good rhythm there." -Carlisle on Slawson

Mitchell played in three of the Cavs' four wins over the Pacers this season. He averaged 37.7 points per game in those three victories over Indiana.

The Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse following a three-game road trip to host Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, Apr. 7, 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

rewind-pacers-cavaliers-250405

Game Rewind: Pacers 108, Cavaliers 117

Jordan Morey

Friday, April 3 at 7:00 PM ET at Spectrum Center

The top 3-point shooting team in the NBA lit it up from deep on Friday night, as the Charlotte Hornets (42-36) made 24 threes in a 129-108 win over the Indiana Pacers (18-59) at Spectrum Center.

With the loss, the Pacers finish 2-2 against the Hornets this season. Just five games remain on Indiana’s schedule.

The Hornets shot 47.9 percent from the field and 49 percent from 3-point range. The Pacers shot 46.2 percent as a team, and went 15-for-36 (41.7 percent) from three.

All-Star forward Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 30 points on 13-for-24 shooting,&nbsp;Quenton Jackson scored 16 points, and Kobe Brown and Jay Huff added 12 points each.

Brandon Miller topped the Hornets with 22 points, while rookie Kon Knueppel scored 20 points, Miles Bridges had 19 points and six rebounds, and LaMelo Ball logged 18 points and nine assists. Ball led the Hornets’ 3-point shooting brigade with five made 3-pointers, Miller and Sion James made four each, and Knueppel and Bridges hit three apiece.

The Pacers were missing seven players Friday due to injuries, including Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, T.J. McConnell and Jarace Walker, among others not sidelined with season-ending ailments.

The Hornets drained 14 3-pointers in the first half to build a 69-50 lead over the Pacers by intermission. James and Ball each hit four 3-pointers for the Hornets before halftime.

In the first quarter, the Hornets shot 46 percent and made seven 3-pointers to go up 38-24. Four different players made a 3-pointer for the Hornets in the frame, as they led the Pacers by as many as 20 points.

Charlotte could hardly miss off the tip, using a 24-2 run over a five-minute span — where Ball and James hit two 3-pointers each and Knueppel scored seven points — to take a 31-11 lead with 4:57 left on the clock.

Out of a timeout, the Pacers answered with a 13-6 run thanks to an and-one by Siakam and 3-pointers by Ethan Thompson and Taelon Peter, but Indiana still trailed by 14 points at the end of the first quarter after Coby White and Pat Connaughton each hit a pair of free throws for the Hornets.

The teams largely traded baskets to start the second quarter until a 13-5 Pacers run, anchored by five points from Huff, narrowed the deficit to 49-42 with 5:46 left in the half.

Charlotte’s offense then kicked back into gear, as Ball hit two 3-pointers, and Josh Green, James and Brandon Miller also each added threes, in the final 3:15 of the second quarter to help put the Hornets ahead 69-50 at halftime.

Neither team mustered more than a 4-0 run in the third quarter, as the Pacers outscored the Hornets 32-31 in the period by shooting 61.9 percent.

Eight different players recorded a basket for the Pacers in the period, while Miller scored 10 points for the Hornets.

Despite the uptick in scoring from Indiana, the Pacers trailed 100-82 going into the final frame.

Siakam scored Indiana’s first 12 points of the fourth quarter, but the Hornets answered every shot during that span, including two 3-pointers by Bridges and one by Ball, to lead 114-91 with eight minutes left.

The Pacers trailed by double digits the rest of the way as their two-game winning streak was snapped.

Indiana will conclude its three-game road trip on Sunday at the Cleveland Cavaliers before hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

Pascal Siakam has scored 30 or more points six times this season.

Siakam scored 14 points in the fourth quarter on 6-for-8 shooting.

The Hornets have made 24 or more 3-pointers six times this season. 

On the boards, the Hornets outrebounded the Pacers 31-28.

Indiana had 11 turnovers to Charlotte’s nine.

The Pacers outscored the Hornets 56-42 in the paint.

Charlotte has won 16 of its last 21 games.

The Hornets made 24 3-pointers in the game, which is the most given up by the Pacers this season.

indiana-pacers-postgame-media-availability-april-3-2026

Indiana Pacers Postgame Media Availability | April 3, 2026

"They're dynamic, highly skilled, they have toughness and their defense has improved. They're a team on the come for sure. They are right in that mix. There's that group of teams that are fighting for the play-in and fifth and sixth spots. With five or six games to go, it feels like they're still getting better." -- Carlisle on the Hornets

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