Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points and dished out eight assists as the Indiana Pacers eliminated the host Cleveland Cavaliers with a 114-105 decision in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday.

Pascal Siakam put up 21 points for fourth-seeded Indiana, which closed the best-of-seven series with consecutive wins.

Indiana has qualified for back-to-back trips to the Eastern finals for the first time since 2013-2014, when it lost to the Miami Heat twice. The Pacers were beaten by the eventual champion Boston Celtics last season.

Donovan Mitchell posted 35 points and nine rebounds while playing with a sprained left ankle and sore calf for top-seeded Cleveland, which blew a 19-point lead on Tuesday and lost all three home games in the series. Evan Mobley added 24 points and 11 rebounds.

After the Cavaliers went up 44-25 early in the second quarter, Haliburton scored 22 points and drained six 3-pointers during an epic 55-24 that to put the Pacers up 80-68 with 1:50 remaining in the third.

Cleveland got as close as 98-97 with 5:03 left in the fourth on a Mitchell 3-pointer, but Andrew Nembhard answered with a 3-pointer and Haliburton made a three-point play. Haliburton wound up 10 of 15 from the field, including 6 of 10 on 3-point attempts.

Nembhard finished with 18 points and six assists, Aaron Nesmith collected 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Myles Turner had 10 points and four blocked shots for Indiana. The Pacers held the Cavaliers to a 9-of-35 shooting (25.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

Cleveland All-Star guard Darius Garland had 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting and Max Strus missed all nine of his field-goal attempts. They combined to miss all 12 of their 3-point tries while committing eight fouls.

Mitchell was aggressive from the tip, scoring 13 points and making 7 of 8 free throws as the Cavaliers went up 31-19 after the first.

Haliburton sank five 3-pointers in a 27-12 run to end the first half, bringing the Pacers within 56-52. Haliburton had 17 points at the break, while Mitchell topped Cleveland with 16.

–Field Level Media

[addtoany]