In a shocking upset, the Indiana Pacers eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers from the NBA playoffs with a 114-105 win in Game 5. They fought back from a huge 19-point deficit to seal the series.
Indiana earned their spot in a second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. They'll face off against whoever wins the New York Knicks-Boston Celtics series. The victory brings the Pacers closer in their playoff history with Cleveland, now down just 10-9 in their head-to-head meetings.
As time ran out, Myles Turner hit a crushing three-pointer. Tyrese Haliburton then waved goodbye to the Cleveland fans. The move echoed his Game 2 heroics when he nailed a crucial three after a missed free throw.
Not many people thought the fifth-seeded Pacers would beat the fourth-seeded Cavaliers. Cleveland's early exit raises questions about their team makeup, even after their strong regular season and Evan Mobley winning Defensive Player of the Year.
The last game showed off Indiana's toughness. Down by the most they'd been all series, they fought back with the same grit that helped them shock Milwaukee in round one.
For Cleveland and coach Kenny Atkinson, the quick exit adds to their recent playoff disappointments. Their rock-solid regular-season defense fell apart when they needed it most.
This series adds another chapter to the teams' long playoff rivalry. Indiana keeps surprising everyone, beating the odds every step of the way.
The result sends both teams in different directions - Indiana chasing a championship shot while Cleveland faces a surprisingly early summer of hard questions.
