The wait is over. Tonight, the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers tip off what promises to be one of the most intriguing second-round matchups in the playoffs.
The Pacers arrive in Cleveland riding high after their dramatic 4–1 first-round series win over the Milwaukee Bucks, capped by a nail-biting 119–118 Game 5 victory. Tyrese Haliburton was electric in that series, highlighted by his clutch game winner in Game 5, while Myles Turner, Pascal Siakam, and Aaron Nesmith were everything you could ask of them. The Pacers, though rightfully underdogs in this series, are simply brimming with confidence.
On the other side, the Cavaliers swept past the Miami Heat 4–0, showing why they earned the No. 1 seed in the East. Led by the dynamic duo of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Cleveland has blended explosive scoring with lockdown defense, anchored by Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the paint. Mitchell in particular has been in playoff-killer mode, averaging over 28 points per game in the first round.
The Cavs secret, however, does not lie in their star power but in their depth.
Carlisle on Cavs: "I think the word is consistency. Another word is depth. They don't have anyone who's played over 30 or 31 minutes a game and they've done some really nice strategic resting over the year that has them very fresh at a time when a lot of teams are wearing down."
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) May 4, 2025
For the Pacers, this is a chance to announce their arrival as a true contender in the East. They've been one of the league’s most entertaining teams over the past two seasons, but another deep playoff run would put them would force their many, many haters to finally show some respect.
For the Cavs, anything short of a Conference Finals berth would feel like a disappointment given their top-seed status. This is a team built to win now.
This series has all the ingredients for a classic: rising stars, interesting positional matchups, and two fanbases hungry for a deep playoff run. The Pacers will need to steal one on the road early to put real pressure on Cleveland. The Cavs will look to protect home court and lean on their defense to set the tone.
Buckle up!
Injuries
Garland is out for the Cavs. Pacers remain unchanged.
Darius Garland out. Ty Jerome coming off the bench. https://t.co/L2ALEg2RCT
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) May 4, 2025
How to Watch
Tipoff is at 6:00 PM ET.
TV: TNT, MAX
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
See ya in the comments!
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