Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each scored 22 points to power the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers to a 120-113 victory over the Indiana Pacers Friday night.
The Cavs trailed by 21 points in the first half. It was the largest comeback of the season for Cleveland, which came back from a 20-point deficit Sunday against Indiana.
LeVert was making his first start of the season for the Cavs, who acquired him from Indiana on Sunday. He was moved into the lineup at point guard when All-Star Darius Garland was sidelined with a sore lower back.
Garland has missed five of the last six games.
Guard Tyrese Haliburton had a game-high 23 points in his first game for the Pacers. He was dealt to Indiana on Tuesday, along with guard Buddy Hield and forward/center Tristan Thompson, from Sacramento for three players, including center Domantas Sabonis.
Oshae Brissett and Chris Duarte each added 18 points for Indiana.
The Cavs outscored the Pacers in the fourth quarter 32-17.
Cleveland’s victory was improbable after its horrible start in the first quarter. Indiana jumped on the Cavs in the opening quarter, 47-28.
The Pacers shot a sizzling 71 percent from the field in the first quarter and made 10 of 12 shots from behind the arc.
The revamped Pacers went up 34-21 after Haliburton’s layup, which capped a 15-0 run.
The point total in the first quarter was a season high for Indiana, while it was also the most the Cavs have allowed.
Things didn’t get much better in the second quarter, as the Pacers continued to score at will.
Indiana maintained a 74-63 lead at halftime. The Pacers shot better from the 3-point line (63 percent) than they did from the field (61
percent) in the first half.
Haliburton had 14 points and four assists in the first half and Duarte added 13 points.
Allen had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Cavs in the first half.
Indiana held onto a 96-88 advantage after three quarters. The Cavs did end the quarter on a modest 12-5 run.
Cleveland refused to quit in the fourth quarter. Kevin Love’s layup with 6:58 to play cut Indiana’s lead to 107-103.
Veteran Rajon Rondo’s 3-pointer with 4:06 remaining handed the Cavs a 110-109 lead they never relinquished.
It came during a 9-0 run by Cleveland.
The Pacers had all three players they received from the Kings– Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson — on the floor during crunch time.
The Cavs have won four in a row and 13 of their last 16. They snapped a three-game losing streak at Indiana.
–Field Level Media
