Breaking Down Cavs’ Game 3 Road Win Over Pacers

Game 3: Cavaliers 126, Pacers 104

The Vibe: Donovan Mitchell delivered another stellar performance, dropping 43 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing five assists to lead the Cavaliers to a dominant win. With a healthy rotation finally back in the fold, Cleveland took control of the series with a decisive statement victory. Mitchell, following up his 48-point outing in Game 2, became the first player in Cavs playoff history to score 90 points over a two-game stretch.

Key contributors returned to form: Darius Garland made his series debut, scoring 10 points and handing out three assists; Evan Mobley was everywhere, filling up the stat sheet with 18 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 3 steals; and De’Andre Hunter came off the bench for solid minutes, adding eight points and five rebounds. The Cavs also found success with a zone defense that shut down the Pacers’ offense in the second quarter, holding them to just 13 points while outscoring Indiana 34-13 and taking a 20-point lead they never relinquished.

Mitchell to ESPN: “We don’t want to go home. Credit to them, they came into our place and stole two. Now we gotta do the same. … We stuck together. That’s what it’s gonna take.”

Game 4: Cavaliers at Pacers (Sunday, 8 p.m. ET, TNT)

Next up: Despite losing the first two games, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle warned before Game 3 that his team should expect the Cavs squad that won 64 games in the regular season to respond. Cleveland did just that, and now the Pacers are on the ropes. Game 4 gives Indiana a chance to push the Cavs to the brink of elimination, but after a couple of rough games, they’ll need to find a way to adjust. Cleveland did a strong job limiting Tyrese Haliburton, holding him to just four points on 2-of-8 shooting with five assists in Game 3. Look for more of the same as the Cavs will look to continue to clamp down on Indiana’s top playmaker.