The first spot in the NBA’s conference finals has been locked up.
The Indiana Pacers are back in the Eastern Conference finals, knocking off the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 in Game 5 of their second-round matchup.
Facing elimination, Cleveland got off to a hot start at home and led by 19 points in the second quarter. But Tyrese Haliburton started a comeback for the Pacers and the No. 4 seed took a lead in the third quarter it never let go. Now, the top team in the East is out after a 64-win season.
Indiana now awaits the winner of the Boston Celtics-New York Knicks series – with New York leading the series 3-1 – with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line.
Pacers vs. Cavaliers highlights
Final: Pacers 114, Cavaliers 105
After Cleveland made it a one-point game with five minutes left, Indiana ends the game on a 16-8 run to win the series. Tyrese Haliburton finishes with 31 points, while Donovan Mitchell ends with a game-high 35 points.
Myles Turner hits dagger
Indiana can start to feel it.
Myles Turner hit a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left to make it a nine-point game and the Cleveland fans are headed for the exits as the season is about to end. Tyrese Haliburton waves goodbye to the crowd.
Indiana remains in front late
The Pacers are less than two minutes away from the Eastern Conference finals. The Cavaliers cut the deficit to one in the fourth quarter, but Indiana has made sure the top seed in the East hasn’t taken the lead.
Indiana leads 106-103 with 1:27 left.
Cavaliers close deficit in fourth quarter
Cleveland has found its offense in the fourth quarter and it’s a two-point game with less than six minutes left in the contest. The Cavaliers started the final frame on a 10-2 run and now trail 96-94 in a must-win game.
End of third quarter: Pacers 85, Cavaliers 76
Indiana is 12 minutes away from the Eastern Conference finals after a stellar third quarter put it ahead of the top seed Cavaliers.
The Pacers closed the deficit before halftime and continued the momentum out of the locker room. The No. 4 seed went on a 26-5 run in the period to take a 12-point lead in the final minutes of the quarter. Tyrese Haliburton has a game-high 24 points.
Cleveland was one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the regular season at 38.3%, but the deep shot has been a major struggle Tuesday. The Cavaliers are 4-for-21 (19%) beyond the arc in the game, while Indiana is 12-for-28 (42.9%).
Halftime: Cavaliers 56, Pacers 52
After trailing by as many as 19 points, Indiana has clawed back to make it a four-point game at intermission. A 27-9 run by the Pacers made it a one-point game with more than a minute left in the first quarter.
Tyrese Haliburton played a big part in closing the deficit for the Pacers, dropping 15 points in the second quarter, all of them coming from 3-point land. Meanwhile, Donovan Mitchell has cooled off after his hot start with 16 points in the first 24 minutes, with 10 points from the free throw line and an 0-for-5 mark from deep.
End of first quarter: Cavaliers 31, Pacers 19
Donovan Mitchell starts off hot with 13 points in the first quarter. Evan Mobley also had 10 points in the first 12 minutes of action.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton had just two points, coming on free throws in the final seconds of the quarter. No Indiana player had more than six points.
What time is Cavaliers vs Pacers Game 5?
Game 5 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers will tip at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Pacers Game 5: TV, stream
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Rocket Arena (Cleveland)
TV: TNT, TruTV
Stream: Fubo, Max
Watch Cavaliers-Pacers Game 5 with Fubo
Cavaliers vs. Pacers NBA playoff schedule, results
(Pacers lead series, 3-1)
Game 1: Pacers 121, Cavaliers 112
Game 2: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119
Game 3: Cavaliers 126, Pacers 104
Game 4: Pacers 129, Cavaliers 109
Game 5: Pacers at Cavaliers | Tuesday, May 13 | TBD | TNT, truTV, Max, Sling TV*
Game 6: Cavaliers at Pacers | Thursday, May 15 | TBD | ESPN, Fubo*
Game 7: Pacers at Cavaliers | Sunday, May 18 | TBD | TBD*