Indiana pulls away from Cleveland, Oklahoma City snatches victory in Denver and ties series
After two losses in these conference semifinals, the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back. In Indianapolis, the Pacers humiliated the Cleveland Cavaliers to take the lead (3-1) while in Denver, the Thunder grabbed a victory in a defensive battle to level the series 2-2 against the defending champions.
Indiana’s total domination against Cleveland
Struggling after a 22-point loss in Game 3, the Pacers responded brilliantly. Led by Pascal Siakam (21 points on 9/10 shooting), Myles Turner and Obi Toppin (20 points each), they took total control from the start, leading by up to 44 points before halftime. With an 80-39 advantage at halftime, Indiana tied the NBA playoff record for largest halftime lead, previously held by Cleveland in 2017.
Despite Bennedict Mathurin’s early ejection, Rick Carlisle’s team was never threatened. « We haven’t done anything yet, » warned the coach to AP, reminding that the series isn’t over.
On the other side, Donovan Mitchell, hampered by an ankle injury, couldn’t compete in the second half, leaving Darius Garland (21 points) alone against Indiana’s fury. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the Pacers’ total superiority: « They dominated us in every aspect. »
PACERS 🆚 CAVALIERS, GAME 4 SUMMARY
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OKC overcomes Denver in a stifling duel
In the West, Oklahoma City pulled off the perfect heist in a tight game where both teams seemed tired after Game 3’s overtime. The Thunder, thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 points, including 9 in the fourth quarter), found the resources to take the lead after an 11-0 run by substitutes Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins.
Despite Nikola Jokic’s 27 points (on 7/22) and 13 rebounds, Denver, hampered by catastrophic shooting (31% field goals, 13/55 on 3-pointers), let slip a precious opportunity to lead 3-1. A lapse in concentration, like a 5-second inbound violation, symbolized the Nuggets’ late-game struggles.
« We took the hits and got back up, » summarized SGA, proud of OKC’s collective response, determined to continue their express learning of playoff basketball.
THUNDER, NUGGETS, GAME 4 SUMMARY
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