Donovan Mitchell missed the entire second half of the Cleveland Cavaliers' Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers due to an ankle injury. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Cavaliers star suffered a reaggravation of an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision for Tuesday's pivotal Game 4.
The Pacers are up 3-1 in their series against the Cavaliers. While a series victory is not guaranteed, it almost feels inevitable. The Pacers have outplayed and outcoached Cleveland for a good portion of the series, and they continue to play fantastic team basketball on both sides of the ball.
If Mitchell is unable to go for Game 5, the Cavaliers will be without their best player, making a victory against a red-hot Pacers team incredibly tough. However, even if Mitchell suits up for Game 5, it is clear that he will not be at 100%. Regardless, even a less-than-fully-healthy Mitchell is a threat to the Pacers that they must take seriously if needed.
The Pacers have a huge opportunity in front of them in Game 5. If they can eliminate the Cavaliers on their homecourt to advance to their second straight conference finals, this will not just send a message to the rest of the league, but it will also be huge for the Pacers as it will give them some rest and time to recalibrate.
The Pacers look borderline unbeatable right now
When talking about the biggest title threats remaining in the NBA Playoffs, the Pacers are far from the flashiest name. Despite their deep talent, the Pacers do not have any "superstars" or current MVP candidates on the team. Still, they are on fire right now and have been since the turn of the calendar.
Indiana has become a complete team and improved many of their weaknesses that cost them their season last year, particularly their performance in the clutch. The Pacers dominated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, but they are beating the Cavaliers in a completely different way. They are continuing to showcase their resilience and ability to play well as a team, which is what has gotten them this far in the first place.
A second straight conference finals appearance would mean a lot for the Pacers, but they have made it clear all season long that they have other goals in mind, specifically bringing an NBA Championship to Indiana. They still have a lot of basketball left to play to achieve this goal, but they are getting closer by the day, and Tuesday night could be a monumental moment for the Pacers.