01/06/26 08:51:00
Printable Page
01/06 20:49 CST Cavaliers rally late for 120-116 win while handing the Pacers a
franchise-record 13th straight loss
Cavaliers rally late for 120-116 win while handing the Pacers a
franchise-record 13th straight loss
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) --- Darius Garland scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth
quarter, fueling a late 13-point run that sent the Cleveland Cavaliers past the
struggling Indiana Pacers 120-116 on Tuesday for their fourth win in five games.
Indiana, the defending Eastern Conference champs, lost its 13th straight to set
a franchise record in its NBA era. The Pacers are now a league-worst 6-31 and
are one loss away from matching the Washington Wizards' 14-game skid for the
league's longest skid this season.
The Cavs weren't even at full strength in this one.
Coach Kenny Atkinson gave All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell a day off just hours
after team officials announced Max Strus was expected to miss at least another
month because of a left foot injury. Atkinson said that the updated timeline
was not because Strus had suffered a setback. Cleveland also lost forward Dean
Wade in the first half with a bruised left knee.
And yet, Cleveland managed to erase the nine-point deficit they faced entering
the fourth quarter. Evan Mobley had 20 points while Jarrett Allen and Sam
Merrill each scored 19. Merrill went 6 of 10 on 3-pointers.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points and Jay Huff tied his season high
with 20 points, going 7 of 10 from the field wand 4 of 7 on 3s. Andrew Nembhard
had 15 points and 11 assists. Indiana played without center Isaiah Jackson,
swingman Bennedict Mathurin, forward Obi Toppin and All-Star guard Tyrese
Haliburton because of injuries.
Indiana still had a chance to force overtime in the waning seconds, but
couldn't tie the score as the game turned into a free-throw contest.
The loss also delayed coach Rick Carlisle's 1,000th win for yet two more days.
Up next
Cavaliers: Visit Minnesota on Thursday.
Pacers: Travel to Charlotte on Thursday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
|
