Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers Wow NBA Fans with 41-Point Halftime Lead vs. Cavs in Game 4
Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers came out on a mission in Game 4, torching the Cleveland Cavaliers and storming into halftime with a jaw-dropping 41-point lead.
Behind 11 points from Tyrese Haliburton, 12 from Pascal Siakam, 13 from Obi Toppin and a scorching 18 from Myles Turner, the Pacers sent shockwaves through the NBA world with their electric start against the top-seeded Cavaliers.
The Pacers registered 80 first half points while holding the Cavs to just 39.
With 80 points at halftime, the Pacers set a franchise record for most points in a half during a postseason game and also broke an NBA playoff record for most assists in a half—dishing out 25 in the play-by-play era (since 1998), per the NBA.
The Pacers came out firing in Game 4, racing to a 38-23 lead after the opening quarter while shooting an impressive 54 percent from the field. Their defense was just as impressive, limiting Cleveland to only four made field goals on 15 attempts.
Indiana blew the game wide open in the second quarter, dominating both ends of the floor. The Pacers outscored the Cavaliers by 26 in the period, once again holding them to just four made shots while shooting a blistering 67 percent themselves to take full control of the game by halftime, ending the half on a 19-2 run.
The first half wasn’t just about the scoreboard—it brought plenty of drama as tempers flared.
Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was ejected late in the first quarter after striking Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter in the chest with a closed fist. Hunter responded by wagging his finger, following Mathurin to half-court and shoving him to the ground.
Pacers center Turner quickly intervened, escalating the scene by knocking Hunter down in defense of his teammate.
Mathurin was assessed a flagrant 2 and ejected, while both Hunter and Turner were issued technical fouls.
Indiana ultimately won the game, 129-109, to take a 3-1 series lead. The series will now shift to Cleveland, as the two teams will play Game 5 on Tuesday night.
