The red-hot Cavaliers finally met their match Sunday night, as Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard powered the Indiana Pacers to a stunning 108-93 victory that snapped Cleveland’s 12-game winning streak.
The duo combined for 47 points as the Pacers dominated the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, outscoring the NBA’s hottest team 68-40 after halftime.
“There was nothing to lose, this is the best team in the league right now,” Nembhard said after the game. “We had to play hard, play together, and put some more physicality in the game.”
The win didn’t come without a price though. Indiana lost All-Star Tyrese Haliburton to left hamstring tightness in the second half, putting his status in question for Tuesday’s rematch in Indianapolis.
Myles Turner posted a solid double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while rookie Jarace Walker gave the Pacers a huge boost off the bench with 8 points and 12 boards.
It was a tale of two halves for Cleveland, who hadn’t lost since December 8 against Miami.
“What disappointed me was our first half was phenomenal, defensively, and then the second half, we fell off,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. His team still boasts an impressive 33-5 record, including 20-2 at home.
Darius Garland led Cleveland with 20 points and 7 assists. Donovan Mitchell added 19 points while Evan Mobley contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to keep the streak alive.
The Pacers’ defense deserves special credit – they held the Cavs to their lowest point total of the season.
“We were connected on defense,” Nembhard explained. “We didn’t fool around, even when we made mistakes, we helped out each other, and just made the next play.”
These teams won’t have to wait long for round two. They’ll face off again Tuesday in Indianapolis, where the Pacers will try to extend their own winning streak to seven games.
Despite getting the win, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle remained respectful of their opponents: “They don’t have any weaknesses. I mean, you can’t find any. All of their guys can score and those guys play defense, too.”
