The Indiana Pacers followed up a disappointing Game 3 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers with arguably their best performance of the postseason so far. Everything went well for the Pacers as they blew the Cavaliers out in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead.
Cleveland had all their players available in Game 4 (though Donovan Mitchell missed the entire second half due to an ankle injury), yet they still got outplayed and outcoached by the Pacers. The Pacers also dominated the Cavaliers in nearly every way. They won the turnover battle by a wide margin, they shot the ball much better, and they recorded 17 more assists than the Cavaliers did.
What makes Indiana's victory stand out even more is that only Andrew Nembhard (30:27) was on the court for more than 30 minutes. Ben Sheppard played the second-most minutes for the Pacers, which bodes well for the team for Game 5. Head coach Rick Carlisle has done a fantastic job of finding a good balance between playing his top guys as much as possible while also giving them as much rest as possible and still winning.
With the Pacers only one win away from their second straight conference finals appearance, they are in the driver's seat in this series. And if the first four games have been any indication, there is nothing the Cavaliers can do to avoid the upset.
The Pacers are staying true to themselves in Cavaliers series
They had a rough loss in Game 3, and the Pacers have not played perfect basketball all series. However, what has worked for them all season is exactly what has given them a 3-1 lead over the Cavaliers. The Pacers are playing great team basketball while shooting the ball well and making it tough for Cleveland on both sides of the ball. Additionally, the Pacers' resilience, which got them this far in the first place, has not gone anywhere.
The Pacers are on the brink of eliminating the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference by playing the brand of basketball they have played all season long. For the Pacers to get to this point is remarkable, and it is further confirmation that they are ready to compete for a championship as soon as this season.
Indiana has not won the series yet, and though it was a different era, the Cavaliers are no strangers to overcoming a 3-1 series deficit in the playoffs. However, as it stands, the Cavaliers have not proven they can defeat the Pacers three more times this series. With a conference finals appearance on the line, the Pacers should continue to assert their dominance with just one more win.