The Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers are set to battle once again in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, after the Pacers shocked the top-seeded Cavaliers with a 121-112 road win in the opener that flipped the momentum and raised questions about Cleveland’s ability to adjust without one of their stars. Indiana, riding a wave of confidence from their offensive cohesion and consistent shooting, took full advantage of the Cavaliers’ cold perimeter shooting and defensive breakdowns, hitting 53% from beyond the arc compared to Cleveland’s 24%, a disparity that defined the outcome of Game 1. Andrew Nembhard stepped up with a team-high 23 points and near-perfect shooting from deep, while Tyrese Haliburton operated as the engine of the offense, dropping 22 points and 12 assists with surgical control, stretching the floor and manipulating Cleveland’s defensive rotations. Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner added valuable two-way contributions, combining to provide physicality in the paint and versatility on switches, while head coach Rick Carlisle’s game plan of constant ball movement, spacing, and disciplined off-ball cutting left Cleveland scrambling on closeouts. For the Cavaliers, the loss highlighted several concerning areas, most notably their reliance on Donovan Mitchell to carry the scoring load, as he poured in 33 points but struggled mightily from deep, hitting just 1 of 11 from three-point range. The absence of Darius Garland, out due to injury, was felt profoundly, as the Cavaliers lacked a secondary shot creator and offensive initiator capable of relieving pressure off Mitchell or punishing doubles when they came; the ball movement stagnated, and too many possessions devolved into isolation or forced attempts late in the shot clock. Evan Mobley was a bright spot, putting up 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, but Jarrett Allen was largely neutralized, and the supporting cast failed to make a meaningful impact.

Defensively, Cleveland’s signature toughness and communication were missing, as they were often late rotating to the perimeter and failed to contest Indiana’s rhythm shooters, a surprising development given the Cavaliers’ second-ranked defensive efficiency during the regular season. Looking ahead to Game 2, Cleveland must regroup and bring greater urgency to their defensive sets, potentially adjusting their coverages to limit Haliburton’s playmaking while closing out more aggressively on Indiana’s perimeter threats. A potential return from Garland could be the spark they need, rebalancing the offense and giving the Cavaliers more lineup flexibility to counter Indiana’s pace and movement. For the Pacers, the challenge will be sustaining their offensive execution while preparing for a much more desperate and likely more physical Cleveland team, but if they can continue to spread the floor, hit timely threes, and execute in transition, they have a real chance to head back to Indiana with a commanding 2-0 series lead. The strategic chess match between Carlisle and Kenny Atkinson now takes center stage, as both coaches look to exploit matchup weaknesses and adjust rotations, knowing that Game 2 could swing the trajectory of what has quickly become one of the most intriguing series of the postseason.