Cavs Snap Recent Skid, Beat Pacers 135-119

*** Anyone who covers the Cavs on a regular basis – and witnessed the team’s mood after their Sunday loss to Boston – could have predicted that the Wine and Gold would take care of business on Monday night in Indiana. 

And that’s just what Donovan Mitchell and Co. did, jumping out to an early lead and holding off a stubborn Pacers squad the rest of the way – taking the 135-119 decision at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to snap a three-game skid.

Still down several rotational players, the Cavaliers rode Mitchell’s third 40-point night of the season – with the six-time putting the Pacers down for the night with 16 of his game-high 43 points in the fourth quarter as Cleveland pulled away late. 

On the night, Mitchell – who’s now topped the 40-point plateau twice in his last three outings and for the 22^nd time as a Cavalier – went 16-for-27 from the floor, including 4-of-10 from deep and 7-of-9 from the stripe, adding nine boards and a team-high six assists. 

In 10 regular season games against Indiana, Mitchell – who leads the NBA this season with 81 made three-pointers – is averaging 32.8ppg. 

Kenny Atkinson went with his 12^th different starting lineup of the young season, with the Cavaliers missing Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, Lonzo Ball, Darius Garland and Larry Nance Jr. After some recent slow starts, Cleveland ran out to a 12-point lead after one quarter and a 12-point lead at the break. The Pacers cut the Cavs’ 21-point lead to just six late in the third quarter, but the Wine and Gold took a double-digit lead one minute into the final period, and that’s where the margin remained the rest of the night. 

Making his second straight start, Jaylon Tyson continued his strong sophomore run – going off for a season-high 27 points, on an efficient 10-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-5 from deep, adding a game- and season-high 11 boards, four assists and a steal. Now shooting .481 from three-point range, Tyson currently ranks 3^rd in the league. 

Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter added 13 points apiece in the win – with Mobley adding a pair of blocks, moving him ahead of Jim Chones for 6^th on the franchise’s all-time list. Hunter drilled a pair of triples and has now connected on multiple threes in six straight games. 

The Cavaliers shot 51 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Pacers, 48-36, grabbing 19 of those boards off the offensive glass. Cleveland piled up a season-high 62 points in the paint and tied a season-low with just nine turnovers. 

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers (4-17) in both scoring and rebounding, finishing with 26 points and seven boards in the loss. 

*** With so many regulars out on Monday, the Cavs needed – and got – a big night from their bench. 

Impressive rookie Tyrese Proctor led the second unit with 12 points, going 3-of-7 from long-range and 3-of-4 from the line. Thomas Bryant finished with six points against his former squad, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin added six points, six rebounds and a career-high four blocks. Craig Porter Jr. chipped in with four points, five boards, four dimes and a pair of blocks – his fifth game this season with multiple swats. 

*** The Wine and Gold have now taken the first two over Indiana, are now 6-0 against Central Division foes this season and 18-4 overall since the start of last season. 

*** The Cavaliers now return home for a three-game homestand – and don’t hit the road again until a December 12 contest in Washington – welcoming three straight Western Conference opponents to Rocket Arena. On Wednesday, it’s a matchup against Deni Avdija and the Blazers, followed by a Friday night date with the Spurs. On Saturday, Cleveland concludes the back-to-back with their old nemesis, Steph Curry and the Warriors.