Pacers defeat Cleveland in NBA semifinals opener

The Indiana Pacers earned a crucial 121–112 victory on Sunday, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers on their home court in Game 1 of the NBA conference semifinals.

The Cavaliers, the top team in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, struggled to overcome the absence of key player Darius Garland, sidelined with a foot injury.

The All-Star point guard also missed the final two games of the previous series against the Miami Heat, and his early return appears crucial for a Cleveland team enjoying its best run since LeBron James's departure.

Guard Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and center Evan Mobley added 20 points and 10 rebounds, but the duo received little support in fending off the Pacers' early surge.

Mitchell led a 17–4 run in the third quarter that gave the Cavaliers an 85–84 lead late in the period.

But the Pacers, expertly guided by point guard Tyrese Haliburton—who tallied 22 points and 13 assists—remained unfazed by the electric atmosphere at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and quickly regained control of the game.

Indiana, with all five starters scoring in double figures, sealed the win with a decisive 15–4 run in the fourth quarter, stealing home-court advantage in this best-of-seven playoff series.

Sunday also featured the decisive Game 7 of the final first-round series, as Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors aimed to secure a spot in the next round on the road against the Houston Rockets.