Heartbreaking Game 4: Cavs on the Edge of Playoff Elimination After 129-109 Blowout by Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS — The Cavs are on the brink of a tough postseason. After a rough loss to the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers, the top-seeded Cleveland team faces elimination. The score was 129-109 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, with Indiana now leading the series 3-1.

Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson had some harsh words post-game. “They dominated us in every way,” he said. “There were no tactics involved. We were outplayed.”

Cleveland came into the game with confidence, believing they had figured out the Pacers’ strategy. But things quickly turned sour. In the first quarter, Cavs player De’Andre Hunter confronted Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin, showcasing some frustration. Unfortunately, that was the only fight Cleveland showed all night.

Cleveland fell behind early, trailing by double digits just seven minutes in. They found themselves down by as much as 44 points, marking a historically poor first half where they were outscored 80-39, tying for the largest halftime deficit in NBA playoff history.

Star player Donovan Mitchell left the game early due to an ankle injury and didn’t return. Though he had been performing well previously, this night was a setback. He finished with only 12 points on a disappointing shooting night.

Despite Darius Garland scoring 21 points and pushing through a toe injury, the overall performance was lackluster. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, key players for the Cavs, had disappointing outings with only 10 and 2 points, respectively.

For Indiana, players stepped up significantly. Three scored over 20 points, with Pascal Siakam leading the way with 21. As the game progressed, chants of “We want Boston!” rang out from the home crowd, indicating their eagerness for the next round of the playoffs.

As the series stands, Cleveland has to quickly regroup. They’ve faced adversity before, as Garland pointed out, but they must pull together now more than ever.

The next game is crucial. The Cavs will host the Pacers for Game 5 on Tuesday night, and there’s no room for errors.

For fans, this season’s challenges might echo past disappointments. Can Cleveland turn things around, or will this postseason be another missed opportunity?

Monitoring the developments will be important, as injuries and performance will shape the outcome. The team’s fight to save the season is still alive, but time is of the essence.



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