INDIANAPOLIS — Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each scored 23 points and the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers held off a late surge by the Indiana Pacers for a 108-103 victory Monday night.
Cleveland played without three regular starters, including star guard Donovan Mitchell, as the Cavs battle to maintain one of the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference.
Cleveland led by nine in the final quarter before Indiana pulled back to tie it with 2:05 left. LeVert drove the baseline, then stopped and launched a 9-foot fadeaway jumper to regain the lead. The Pacers didn’t score again.
“I’m very comfortable in those situations,” LeVert said. “I knew what I was going to do.”
LeVert had 11 assists and eight rebounds. Allen had nine rebounds.
“We have a lot of guys that can contribute and make big plays down the stretch,” LeVert said. “Our defense really held up the last three quarters of the game and won us that game. They are a good offensive team. What did we hold them to, 103? That says a lot about our defense.
Mitchell, who is averaging a team-high 27.4 points, remains slowed by a bruised left knee that has bothered him since the break. It’s likely the Cavs will rest him a few more games so he’ll be ready for the playoffs. Forward Evan Mobley (ankle) and guard Max Strus (knee) were also out.
The absences necessitated the signing of veteran forward Marcus Morris Sr. to a 10-day contract. Morris scored 14 off the bench in 20 minutes.
“It took tenacity,” Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff said. “It took resilience. It took unity to ensure that we would never grow apart, even through adversity and ups and downs.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Star player Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points and 12 assists. Reserve guard TJ McConnell scored 14.
“We’re just not making enough stops down the stretch,” Haliburton said. “And we’re not capitalizing enough offensively and that starts with me.”
The Cavs entered the night as the conference’s No. 3 seed, just behind the Milwaukee Bucks and ahead of the New York Knicks with a few weeks remaining in the regular season.
The Pacers fell to seventh with the loss, surpassed by the Philadelphia 76ers who beat the Miami Heat on Monday night.
“We did some good things to get out of the hole,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “But the consistency wasn’t there. It’s a difficult loss.
The Pacers led by as many as 15 points midway through the second quarter, but then went scoreless for about four minutes.
“I honestly think we just didn’t really make any shots,” McConnell said. “We had some good looks, but they just didn’t go in.” »
The Cavaliers jumped out with an 11-0 run to tie the game in the final minute of the first half.
“We have to stay positive,” Carlisle said. “We must be hungrier than anyone we’re playing right now.”
FOLLOWING
Cavaliers: Host the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Pacers: Visit the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
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