Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell made history in Game 1 of the second round against the Indiana Pacers. With a 33-point outburst, Mitchell notched his eighth straight playoff series opener with 30+ points. In doing so, the guard also surpassed NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Jordan notched the streak of scoring over 30 points in series openers twice in his career. Once from 1991-93, and then again from 1997-98. With seven games in each run, the accomplishment is not only a testament to Jordan’s greatness but also a stark depiction of how special Mitchell has been for his team in the playoffs.
Mitchell’s stat line for Game 1 was a little confusing, however. Although he scored at a high clip, the guard had a terrible shooting night from beyond the arc. Going 1-11 from the field, the 28-year-old simply could not contribute to his team’s perimeter shooting efforts.
However, he made up for this with some solid scoring within the arc. By shooting 13-30 from the field as a whole and going 6-9 from the charity stripe, Mitchell managed to establish a consistency in overall scoring output for himself.
Unfortunately, the Cavs won’t have a reason to celebrate their star’s accomplishment as the team came away with a crushing 121-112 loss against the Indiana Pacers at home. With the Pacers’ backcourt taking over the game, the No. 1 seed was caught off guard and left hanging by the underdogs.
The Indiana Pacers Stun Donovan Mitchell And The Cleveland Cavaliers In Game 1
The Cavs-Pacers series is one of the few in this season’s playoffs that saw both teams being very well-rested after the first round. Although Cleveland had the home court advantage heading into this matchup, Indiana simply came out strong and caught the Cavs off guard.
Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard put on a clinic against the Cavs’ defense. The two combined for 55 points, with Haliburton stacking 13 assists to aid his team’s winning effort.
The Pacers took a commanding lead in the first quarter behind some inspired offensive contributions by Pascal Siakam. Although the Cavaliers would rally their way back into the game over the next two quarters, Myles Turner scored a clutch three-pointer at the end of the third to kill Cleveland’s momentum.
MYLES TURNER ENDS the THIRD with a TRIPLE 👌@Pacers 92@cavs 90
HIGH-LEVEL PLAYOFF HOOPS HAPPENING in GAME 1 on TNT!!! pic.twitter.com/W3OJowi4sh
— NBA (@NBA) May 4, 2025
The Pacers’ big man has been vital for this team’s success with his defensive work as well. Going up against Cavs’ center, Jarrett Allen, Turner managed to hold his own with 13 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, and a block.
Today’s game was a tough loss for the Cavs, who saw tremendous performances by Mitchell and the NBA’s DPOY, Evan Mobley. The absence of Darius Garland was also felt as the onus of scoring fell entirely on Mitchell.
However, the Cavaliers have proven to be a far more resilient unit this season. A loss in Game 1 doesn’t spell disaster just yet. With a chance to redeem themselves in Game 2, Cleveland will hope to level the series on Tuesday at 7:00 pm ET.
