Pacers Halt Cavaliers’ 12-Game Win Streak with Dominant Second Half

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Indiana Pacers snapped the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ 12-game winning streak with a 108-93 victory on Sunday night, marking the first time this season the NBA-leading Cavaliers were held under 100 points. The Pacers outscored Cleveland 68-40 in the second half, securing their sixth consecutive win.

Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 19 points, while Myles Turner added 18 points and nine rebounds. Off the bench, Isaiah Jackson contributed eight points and 12 rebounds, helping Indiana dominate the boards and stifle Cleveland’s offense. “There was nothing to lose; this is the best team in the league right now,” Nembhard said postgame. “We had to play hard, play together, and put some more physicality in the game on the defensive side.”

Cleveland, now 33-5 overall and 20-2 at home, struggled to maintain its defensive intensity after a strong first half. “What disappointed me was our first half was phenomenal, defensively, and then the second half, we fell off,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We couldn’t sustain our defense.”

Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points and dished out seven assists for the Cavaliers, while Jarrett Allen added 19 points and Evan Mobley recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds. Despite their efforts, Cleveland couldn’t overcome Indiana’s relentless second-half surge.

The Pacers’ victory came at a cost, as All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton exited the game in the second half with left hamstring tightness. Haliburton, who has played in all 40 games this season, is averaging team highs of 8.9 assists and 35.0 minutes. His status for the rematch on Tuesday remains uncertain.

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle praised Cleveland’s depth and versatility, saying, “They don’t have any weaknesses. All of their guys can score, and those guys play defense, too.” The Pacers will look to extend their win streak to seven games when they host the Cavaliers in Indianapolis on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, the NBA landscape saw other notable developments. Kyrie Irving is set to return for the Dallas Mavericks after missing five games due to a back injury. The Mavericks, who went 2-3 in his absence, will host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. In Philadelphia, the 76ers will be without Paul George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey due to injuries as they face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Sacramento Kings, riding a seven-game win streak, will test their improved defense against the Milwaukee Bucks‘ star duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. The Nuggets and Mavericks will also face off again after Denver’s 112-101 victory on Sunday, with Irving’s potential return adding intrigue to the matchup.