Donovan Mitchell delivered one of his strongest performances of the season on Monday night, powering the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 135-119 win over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Cleveland moved to 13–9 behind Mitchell’s 43-point effort, which came on 16-of-27 shooting and included nine rebounds and six assists.
Jaylon Tyson continued his efficient stretch with 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting and a team-high 11 rebounds. Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter each added 13 points as the Cavaliers won for the second time on this road trip.
Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 26 points across 31 minutes, and Andrew Nembhard followed with 21 on 7-of-11 shooting. Garrison Mathews, who signed a second 10-day contract earlier in the day, contributed 15 points in 25 minutes and hit all three of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Cleveland shot 51% from the field and controlled the glass with a 48-36 rebounding advantage. Indiana finished at 49% but struggled with 14 turnovers, which led to 19 Cleveland points.
The Cavaliers built a 21-point lead in the first half, going ahead 53-32 after a strong stretch from Mitchell and Tyson. Indiana trimmed the deficit, but Cleveland still entered halftime up 66-54 behind a 27-15 rebounding edge and only three turnovers.
The Pacers stayed within striking distance through three quarters, trailing 99-90 entering the fourth. Cleveland opened the final period with a 5-0 run and kept the margin in double digits the rest of the way.
Mobley added five rebounds and two blocks, and Hunter’s early three-pointer gave Cleveland a 5-2 lead the Cavaliers never surrendered. Cleveland’s bench contributed 30 points, led by Chris Livingston’s six and Thomas Bryant’s four.
Indiana received balanced scoring from its second unit, including 15 points from Jay Huff and six each from Isaiah Jackson and Tony Bradley. However, the Pacers’ defensive rotations struggled against Cleveland’s ball movement, which generated 27 assists on 50 made field goals.
The Cavaliers were without Darius Garland, who sat out due to left toe injury management on the second night of a back-to-back. Lonzo Ball remained out because of an illness.
Cleveland returns home Wednesday to face the Portland Trail Blazers. Indiana hosts the Denver Nuggets, continuing its four-game homestand.
