The Indiana Pacers and the Cleveland Cavaliers locked horns in the crucial Game 4 of the NBA playoffs round 2 on Sunday, May 11. After dropping the first two games of this second-round playoff series, the Cleveland Cavaliers stormed back with a statement win in Game 3, taking down the Indiana Pacers 126-104 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
It was the kind of bounce-back performance fans had been waiting for—and it came at just the right time. Darius Garland’s return played a huge role in that turnaround. The Cavs looked much sharper with him back, especially on offense, where ball movement finally opened up clean looks.
Donovan Mitchell took full advantage, and the rest of the team followed his lead. With Cleveland finally back to full strength, Game 4 feels like a potential turning point.
The Pacers, meanwhile, were looking to regroup. Tyrese Haliburton had a rough Game 3, finishing with just 4 points in 30 minutes — a rare off night for the Pacers’ engine. As the action unfolded in Game 4, here’s a quick look back at how both teams performed in the pivotal clash.
Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 Box Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacers | 38 | 42 | 29 | 20 | 129 |
| Cavaliers | 23 | 16 | 38 | 32 | 109 |
Pacers Players’ Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pascal Siakam | 21 | 21 | 6 | 3 |
| Myles Turner | 21 | 20 | 7 | 3 |
| Aaron Nesmith | 22 | 12 | 1 | 4 |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 26 | 11 | 5 | 5 |
| Andrew Nembhard | 30 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
| Obi Toppin | 20 | 20 | 5 | 2 |
| Ben Sheppard | 29 | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| T.J. McConnell | 18 | 13 | 2 | 8 |
| Thomas Bryant | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jarace Walker | 13 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Jalen Johnson | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Tony Bradley | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Johnny Furphy | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Cavaliers Players’ Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Garland | 27 | 21 | 1 | 6 |
| Donovan Mitchell | 20 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Max Strus | 22 | 11 | 6 | 3 |
| Evan Mobley | 26 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| Jarrett Allen | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Isaac Okoro | 18 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| Jaylon Tyson | 12 | 11 | 2 | 3 |
| Ty Jerome | 17 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| De’Andre Hunter | 15 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 9 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Tristan Thompson | 12 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Dean Wade | 11 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Chuma Okeke | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Sam Merrill | 13 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Jeff Green | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Pacers vs. Cavaliers Game 4 Recap
The Pacers came out on fire in the first quarter of Game 4, outscoring the Cavaliers 38-23 with a near-perfect offensive show. They shot 54% from the field and knocked down 6 of their 10 3s, while Cleveland struggled badly, hitting just 4 of 15 shots.
Additionally, the Pacers dominated across the board as well. They grabbed 12 rebounds to the Cavs’ 7, and punished Cleveland with 14 points in the paint. The Cavs tried to stay alive with free throws (12-of-14), but seven turnovers and ice-cold shooting left them in a deep hole early.
The Pacers blew the roof off in the second quarter of Game 4, torching the Cavaliers 42-16 in a full-on playoff beatdown. Indiana stretched its lead to 41 points at one stage, scoring at will like it was an open practice.
Myles Turner, Haliburton, and Obi Toppin were on a mission, combining for 42 points by halftime. Turner was on fire from deep, draining back-to-back bombs, one from 27 feet, then another logo-range dagger from 30 feet out, both off Aaron Nesmith’s slick assists.
And speaking of Nesmith, he kept the Pacers rolling with a clean 15-footer at 2.6 seconds to cap off a quarter that left the Cavs rattled. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, couldn’t buy a bucket. Mitchell bricked a deep 3, Garland’s late layup was barely a dent, while Pascal Siakam snagged rebounds like a vacuum.
The Cavaliers finally showed signs of life in the third quarter, outscoring the Pacers 38-29 in what looked like their most composed stretch of the night. With Darius Garland slicing through for a late layups, Cleveland managed to chip away ever so slightly at the deficit.
The quarter also saw some hustle plays and a bit more rhythm from the Cavs. But let’s not sugarcoat it — they still trailed by a massive 32 points heading into the fourth.
The Cavaliers made a late push in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Pacers 32-20, but the gap was simply too big to close. Most of their points came from the free-throw line as the Pacers eased up, protecting their massive lead.
Despite the Cavs shooting 87.5% from the line and grabbing more boards (41-37), their 22 turnovers were too costly. The Pacers cruised through the final frame with the game already out of reach, securing a 129-109 win and taking a 3-1 lead in the series.