The Indiana Pacers used a dominant defensive second quarter to build a 47-39 halftime lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon. After a tight opening period, the Pacers seized control by stifling the Cavaliers' offense.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with the Pacers narrowly edging it 32-31. Both teams found an early offensive rhythm, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 13 first-half points for Cleveland and a strong start from Indiana’s Jalen Slawson, who leads all scorers with 14 points.
The game’s momentum shifted drastically in the second quarter. Indiana’s defense clamped down, holding the Cavaliers to a mere eight points in the period. Cleveland’s offense went cold, struggling to generate clean looks against a energized Pacers unit. This defensive effort fueled a 15-8 quarter run for Indiana, giving them an eight-point cushion at the break.
While Mitchell has been a bright spot for Cleveland, the Cavaliers will need more consistent secondary scoring and to solve Indiana’s defensive pressure. For the Pacers, Slawson’s scoring and Quenton Jackson’s playmaking (4 AST) have been key. The Cavaliers must find an answer in the second half to avoid a costly regular-season loss.
