Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen battles for the ball between Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) and forward Pascal Siakam in the first half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Pacers tie NBA playoff record by jumping out to 41-point halftime lead against Cavaliers in Game 4

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers tied an NBA playoff record by building a 41-point halftime lead Sunday in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against top-seeded Cleveland.

The 80-39 lead matched the previous mark set by the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the 2017 conference finals against Boston, according to Sportradar. And the Pacers did it despite having one of their top scorers, Bennedict Mathurin, ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul less than eight minutes into the game.

It’s also the 10th time in playoff history any team has scored 80 points in a half. Oklahoma City did it most recently, with 87 points in Game 2 against Denver earlier this week.

The Pacers dominated the first two quarters, shooting 60% from the field and making 12 of 18 3-pointers while posting 25 assists. Cleveland shot 25% from the field, had only three assists and only three players with more than one made basket.

Indiana tied the record on Aaron Nesmith’s buzzer-beating mid-range jumper to close the half.

Indiana Pacers center Thomas Bryant (3) reacts after a 3-point basket in the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The Pacers hold a 2-1 lead in the series, which moves to Cleveland on Tuesday for Game 5.

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) in the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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.

Related Articles