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The Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers are locked in a tense, physical battle that’s been anything but predictable. As we head into Game 5 in Cleveland, the Cavs are listed as eight-point favorites on their home court, but given how this series has played out, that number feels overly generous.
Indiana not only has momentum, but they might just have the Cavs reeling at the worst possible time. Let’s dive into my picks for Game 5 between Indiana and Cleveland.
Game 4 was nothing short of a statement win for Indiana. They came out firing on all cylinders and delivered a first-half performance that completely overwhelmed Cleveland. The Pacers dropped an eye-popping 80 points by halftime, yes, 80 and led by as many as 43 en route to a 129–109 blowout victory. From start to finish, Indiana dictated the pace, shared the ball, and knocked down shots with confidence, looking like a much fresher and more focused team.
For Cleveland, things went from bad to worse. Not only did they fall behind early and never recover, but their star guard, Donovan Mitchell, was forced to leave the game in the second half with a reaggravated left ankle injury. He didn’t return, and his status for Game 5 remains murky; he’s officially listed as a game-time decision.
That’s a brutal break for a Cavaliers team that has leaned heavily on Mitchell throughout the series. He’s been sensational when healthy, scoring 33, 48, and 43 points in three of the four games. Without him, or even with him at less than 100%, the Cavs offense looks lost. Darius Garland returned from injury and did his best in Game 4 but stood no chance against the red-hot Pacers. Evan Mobley also hasn’t delivered the offensive leap fans were hoping for, and the bench hasn’t provided much support. If Mitchell can’t go or is limited, it’s hard to see where Cleveland finds enough scoring to keep up.
On the other hand, Indiana looks like a team that knows exactly who they are. They play fast, they move the ball well, and they’ve gotten contributions up and down the roster. Tyrese Haliburton has been the engine, creating shots for himself and others while controlling the tempo. Pascal Siakam brings playoff experience and a steady presence, and guys like Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin have all stepped up in key moments. The Pacers aren’t just winning, they’re doing it with energy, execution, and depth.
With a chance to close out the series, the Pacers smell blood in the water and are looking to close it out with momentum on their side. The Pacers are playing with confidence, chemistry and urgency. They’re the healthier team, the more cohesive unit, and quite possibly the better team overall at this point in the series. Even if Mitchell plays, there’s no guarantee he’ll be the same explosive scorer we saw earlier in the series. And if he doesn’t suit up? The Cavs could be in real trouble.
Therefore, I anticipate that Indiana will aim to close out the series tonight behind another big game from Myles Turner. The Pacers big man has been a force on the boards and in the scoring department, as he’s recorded 25.4 combined points and rebounds through the first four games. Expect more of the same tonight.
Luke Lindholm is an avid basketball, baseball, football, hockey and soccer fan who specializes in writing promotional content for multiple sportsbooks and prediction-based articles across a variety of sports. His work has been featured on prominent websites including Sports Illustrated, Pickswise, Men’s Journal, TheStreet, Athlon Sports and more. He started as a college football handicapper for Pickswise in 2016 and is a current member of the Pickswise NFL handicapping team.