“Cleveland Cavaliers on the brink of elimination, Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets results, score, video, highlights, basketball news”
The Indiana Pacers thrashed the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-109 to take a 3-1 stranglehold on their NBA playoff sequence as Oklahoma Metropolis edged Denver to degree their sequence at two video games apiece.
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Pascal Siakam scored 21 factors to guide seven Pacers gamers in double figures as Indiana pushed Jap Convention high seeds Cleveland to the brink of elimination of their best-of-seven convention semi-final.
There have been no such offensive fireworks in Denver, the place Oklahoma Metropolis squelched the Nuggets’ second-half comeback bid to say a gritty 92-87 victory in a sport the place each groups struggled to get pictures to fall.
In Cleveland, the Pacers already had the sport effectively in hand, with an 80-39 halftime lead, when the Cavs introduced that star Donovan Mitchell was uncertain to return for the second half with a left ankle damage.
Mitchell, coming off back-to-back 40-point video games, scored 12 factors within the first half, however was clearly hurting when he examined his ankle previous to the beginning of the second half.
His loss could be a physique blow for a Cleveland workforce hoping to fend off elimination once they host sport 5 on Tuesday.
Coach Kenny Atkinson mentioned Mitchell would have an MRI scan on Tuesday and he had “no idea” if Mitchell could be accessible for sport 5.
Regardless of the Pacers’ dominance, there was no scarcity of emotion. Indiana reserve Bennedict Mathurin was ejected with 4:32 left within the first quarter for a punch to De’Andre Hunter’s chest.
Hunter acquired a technical foul for responding with a two-handed shove that despatched Mathurin sprawling, whereas Indiana’s Myles Turner received a technical for wading into the fray.
Up 38-23 after one quarter, the Pacers piled it on within the second interval, a 17-0 scoring run pushing their result in 78-37 on the way in which to an 80-39 halftime lead.
Cleveland made simply eight baskets within the first half whereas the Pacers placed on an offensive show.
Disbelief as Celtics fail at buzzer | 00:42
A Turner basket on the rim, off a no-look move from Tyrese Haliburton, despatched the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd right into a frenzy.
The Pacers have been additionally on-target from deep, making 12 of their 15 three-pointers within the first half.
“This is a group that plays better through adversity,” Turner mentioned of the Pacers’ rebound from their game-three defeat.
“We got punched in the mouth last game, we had a hell of a response. The starters set the tone and the bench picked it up the rest of the game.”
Turner and Obi Toppin added 20 factors every for Indiana and Haliburton completed with 11. Darius Garland led Cleveland’s scoring with 21 factors, however the Cavaliers gave up 22 turnovers resulting in 35 Pacers factors.
In Denver, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 factors with six rebounds and 6 assists to guide Oklahoma Metropolis, however the Thunder linked on simply 31 of 87 pictures from the sphere — solely marginally higher than the Nuggets’ 25-for-80 success price.
NBA Most Invaluable Participant Nikola Jokic scored 27 factors and grabbed 13 rebounds for Denver, who shook off a dismal begin and grabbed a 53-52 lead halfway by means of the third quarter on a three-pointer from Aaron Gordon.
Nuggets declare Recreation 1 with buzzer beater | 00:35
Jamal Murray and Christian Braun scored 17 factors every and Gordon added 15 as Denver prolonged the result in eight factors early within the fourth.
However lower than 48 hours after a draining extra time triumph Friday in sport three, the Nuggets did not capitalize.
Oklahoma Metropolis regained the lead on Cason Wallace’s three-pointer with 8:35 to play and held on till the tip.
The primary quarter of Monday’s sport was an enormous speaking level, with OKC outscoring Denver 17-8 as each groups struggled off simply 36 hours of relaxation.
It tied the bottom quantity of factors in a primary quarter since 1954, when the shot-clock period started.
“This is probably the closest thing you’ll see to a back to back in the playoffs,” Chet Holmgren instructed TNT after the quarter.
“Late game OT and then come out and play not even a day and a half later. It’s a little bit of being winded out there.
Charles Barkley, meanwhile, called it “unfair” on Denver.
“I thought what the NBA did to them was unfair,” Barkley mentioned.
“Making them play late Friday night and then an early afternoon game (on Sunday). I thought that was unfair. I truly believe that.”
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