Pacers buried the top seed Cavaliers in 3s to play in the first game

Cleveland-Tyrese Haliburton often uses his role as the Indiana Pacers point guard and the role of becoming a team mom.

On Sunday night, the Pacers shocked the top seed of the Cleveland Cavaliers, 121-112, in the first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals. “Your job is to take care of everyone.” “Just trying to do that at a high level.”

Indeed, Halliburton set the tone at both ends of the floor to inspire his first game win.

According to ESPN Research, he scored 22 points, added 13 assists on the defensive end and added some key roles, including steals and 3 blocks, making him the first player in Pacers history to put such a piece in a playoff game.

“He made all of us better,” said Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, who scored 23 points and 5-5 in three-pointers. “He's the way to play a pure point guard. He can really carve out the defense. Everyone loves to play with him and bring the ball to the attractions and rhythms you like.”

The Pacers took advantage from the opening period and jumped onto the Cavaliers – they led by nine points at the end of the first quarter. Indiana has an advantage for most of the game, leading 12 points in the third quarter before the Cavaliers began their rally.

Cleveland took a 102-101 lead with a free throw distance of 6:30 from Max Strus. But the Pacers finished the game 20-10, starting with a three-pointer from Halliburton and interrupting a game on Halliburton Street, before he scored a layup on the other end, making it a 10-point game with 2:12 left. The Pacers had double-digit numbers of six players, including all five starters, while Aaron Nesmith and Pascal Siakam scored 17 points.

“We just want to be a confident team into this series,” Halliburton said. “Not a lot of people pick us in any way to win. We are definitely heavy losers, but we are trying to control something that can be grouped, as long as we keep believing in our work.”

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers made 9-for-38 shots from 3 (23.7%) on one of the roughest shooting nights of the season, which brought the new season – regular season (regular season and playoffs) from outside the ARC. Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points – breaking Micheal Jordan's playoff record with at least 30 points in his eighth straight game – but scored 13 of 13 from the field, including one of three points.

“It's nothing to be afraid of,” Mitchell said after the game. “Understand it's a long game. They've made some shots and you have to come in and give them honors. To shoot on the road, the first game, set that tone, and that's a compliment to them.

“But never hang your head. Don't trip. (It's) almost always been information. Tonight, learn that we didn't play the best basketball. But we'll be better.”

The second game was Tuesday night in Cleveland. While the Pacers were happy to win the first game of the series and lost the Cavaliers’ first playoff to the Cavaliers, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle reminded his team to stay hungry after the game. Indiana is able to steal the Homecourt advantage in the series, but the Pacers also know that the Cavaliers will rebound Sunday night.

“It certainly gave us a lot of momentum and you can definitely feel good at night,” Halliburton said Sunday. “But it's the best team in our meeting. They play hard. They don't lose a lot, so they will respond. We have to be ready for the second game.”