Haliburton and the Pacers visit Cleveland to begin second round

Indiana Pacers (50-32, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18, first in the Eastern Conference)

Cleveland; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cavaliers -8; over/under is 229.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Cavaliers host first series matchup

BOTTOM LINE: The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers to begin the Eastern Conference second round. Indiana went 3-1 against Cleveland during the regular season. The Pacers won the last regular season matchup 126-118 in overtime on Sunday, April 13 led by 21 points from Quenton Jackson, while Jaylon Tyson scored 31 points for the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are 41-11 in Eastern Conference games. Cleveland is third in the Eastern Conference with 34.2 defensive rebounds per game led by Jarrett Allen averaging 7.1.

The Pacers are 10-6 against Central Division teams. Indiana is fifth in the league scoring 17.5 fast break points per game. Bennedict Mathurin leads the Pacers averaging 3.8.

The Cavaliers average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.0 more made shots on average than the 12.9 per game the Pacers give up. The Pacers average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Cavaliers give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Donovan Mitchell is shooting 44.3% and averaging 24.0 points for the Cavaliers. Max Strus is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 18.6 points and 9.2 assists for the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 7-3, averaging 120.4 points, 46.5 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 8.9 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.0 points per game.

Pacers: 8-2, averaging 117.3 points, 44.8 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 7.8 steals and 6.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.8 points.

INJURIES: Cavaliers: Darius Garland: day to day (toe).

Pacers: Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.