Pacers Advance to Eastern Conference Finals
CLEVELAND, Ohio — On May 13, 2025,
Pacers Advance to Eastern Conference Finals with Game 5 Win Over Cavaliers
The Indiana Pacers clinched their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season, defeating the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 in Game 5 of their semifinal series. The victory, sealed by a late surge led by star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, marked a stunning upset against a Cavaliers team that won 64 games in the regular season, the second-best in franchise history.
The Pacers, trailing by as many as 19 points in the second quarter, staged a remarkable comeback, ignited by Haliburton’s 17-point second-quarter performance, including five 3-pointers. His 31 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in Game 5 underscored his clutch play, as Indiana shot an impressive 52.8% from beyond the arc as a team. Pascal Siakam contributed 21 points and eight rebounds, while Andrew Nembhard added 18 points, including a critical and-one in the final minute to secure the nine-point win.
Cleveland, despite a hot start fueled by Donovan Mitchell’s 13 first-quarter points, faltered offensively, shooting just 9-of-35 from 3-point range and missing four consecutive free throws in the closing moments. Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 35 points and nine rebounds, but his visible discomfort after tweaking his ankle in Game 4 compounded Cleveland’s woes. Evan Mobley added 24 points and 11 rebounds, but the Cavaliers, who hadn’t reached the NBA Finals since LeBron James’ departure in 2018, couldn’t overcome Indiana’s relentless pace.
HALIBURTON FROM WAYYYY DOWNTOWN 🎯
Pacers on a 16-4 run on TNT! pic.twitter.com/5Gs4BpmcRE
— NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2025
The game saw Cleveland jump to a 12-point lead after the first quarter, but Indiana’s high-octane offense, which ranked among the league’s best, flipped the momentum before halftime. A pivotal 11-0 run in the third quarter, capped by a Siakam 3-pointer, gave the Pacers their first lead. Despite a late Cleveland push to cut the deficit to one point, Haliburton’s response—a dunk followed by back-to-back defensive stands—ensured Indiana maintained control. Myles Turner’s 3-pointer with 23 seconds left sealed the deal, prompting Cleveland fans to head for the exits.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle credited the team’s aggression and resilience, noting, “We had to be in attack mode to beat this team.” The victory handed Cleveland their first playoff series loss of 2025, ending a postseason that began with a sweep of the Miami Heat. Indiana now awaits the winner of the New York Knicks-Boston Celtics series, with the Knicks leading 3-1. A potential Knicks matchup would mark New York’s first Conference Finals appearance since 1999, while the Pacers are four wins from their first NBA Finals berth in 25 years.
Haliburton, addressing the Cleveland crowd’s “overrated” chants from earlier in the series, waved goodbye as the final buzzer sounded, cementing his reputation as a closer. His performance drew praise from analysts and fans alike, with social media posts on X buzzing about his clutch heroics. For Cleveland, the loss stings as a missed opportunity for a team that played “beautiful basketball” all season, as one observer noted, only to fall short against Indiana’s relentless attack.
