The Indiana Pacers took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 11th,2025. The Pacers were in control from the opening tip-off and did not look back. At halftime, Indiana had a 41-point lead which tied the NBA record for a halftime lead in a playoff game. The score was 80-39 at the half. The original record was set by the Cleveland Cavaliers back in the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics in Game Two. As for the Pacers, they are showing that last year’s deep postseason run was no fluke. In the first two quarters, Indiana shot a scorching 60.0 percent from the field and 67.0 percent from three-point range. Despite all of this, the Pacers know there is plenty of work to still be done.
“We haven’t done anything yet,” coach Rick Carlisle said after earning his 33rd playoff win with Indiana. “We’re going to keep approaching this like we have everything to prove. We know people don’t believe in us, so we’re just going to stay in the fight and keep fighting.”
Pacers star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, also talked about how they were able to bounce back after a crushing loss in Game Three.
“We felt the last game, they set the tone from a physical standpoint,” Haliburton said after finishing with a stat-line of 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. “Today, we came out and set the tone from the jump, really just rode that wave.”
Indiana is now one win away from their second-straight Eastern Conference Finals appearance. As of right now, they are the hottest team in the NBA playoffs.
Indiana Pacers Tie NBA Playoff Record (41 Points) For Biggest Halftime Lead
The Hottest Team in the NBA Right Now
Many overlooked the Indiana Pacers going into these playoffs. Now, they are a dark horse candidate to go all the way to the NBA Finals. The Pacers are only one win away from knocking off the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and have looked like they could compete with any team. During this postseason run, Indiana ranks second in points per game (118.1), first in assists per game (30.1), and first in field goal percentage (50.1 percent) as of May 12th, 2025. Moreover, they are also fifth in net rating (5.1) and first in true shooting percentage (61.5 percent). With numbers like these, it is easy to see why the Pacers are the hottest team thus far in these NBA playoffs. As a result, one should not overlook them as they are coming into their own as a collective unit at the right time of the season.
