Same Ending, Different Year: Cavs Bow Out Too Early Once Again

Same result.

The Cavaliers, after spending all season talking about lessons learned and turning the page, are heading home in May again — ousted in the second round, again — this time by the fourth-seeded Pacers, who closed the door with a 114-105 win in Game 5.

Series over. Season over. Questions just beginning.

This one was billed as different. It looked like it might be early. Cleveland built a 19-point lead, Donovan Mitchell was doing Donovan Mitchell things, and the crowd was ready to carry them to Game 6.

Then reality set in.

Tyrese Haliburton — the so-called “most overrated player” according to a recent anonymous poll — played like the best player on the floor. And the Cavs, once again, had no answer for a team that played harder, faster, and smarter when it mattered most.

Indiana’s 28-12 third-quarter blitz turned the game upside down. By the time Myles Turner drilled the dagger three with 23 seconds left and flexed at the Cavs’ bench, it felt like a familiar movie. And not one Cavs fans were in the mood to rewatch.

Mitchell poured in 35, but it came on 8-of-25 shooting. Evan Mobley had 24 and 11. Max Strus said it was “win at all costs.” The Cavs paid anyway.

They shot 38.9% from the field and just 25.7% from deep. That won’t cut it in November. Let alone May.

The Pacers? Five guys in double figures. Haliburton was surgical. Pascal Siakam was steady. Andrew Nembhard was fearless. Indiana looked like a team built to keep going. Cleveland looked like one trying to convince itself it still had enough.

That turned out not to be the case.

For a team that talked about growth and redemption all year, this was an ending that felt all too familiar.

Now the only thing new is the offseason. Again.