NBA Playoff Mayhem: Pacers Obliterate Cavs, Thunder Grit Out Win in Denver to Even Series

If Sunday night’s NBA playoff action taught us anything, it’s this: postseason basketball is not for the faint of heart. The Indiana Pacers delivered a historic beatdown to the Cleveland Cavaliers, putting them one loss away from elimination, while the Oklahoma City Thunder clawed their way back in a gritty, defensive throwback against the Denver Nuggets to even their series at 2–2. With star power, ejections, injuries, and wild momentum swings, the drama was off the charts.

Pacers Blitz Cavs in First-Half Avalanche, Push Cleveland to the Brink

Indiana came into Game 4 looking to seize control of the series and potentially take a commanding 3–1 lead over the higher-seeded Cavs. What unfolded was a 48-minute masterclass in pace, passing, and pure dominance.

Right from the jump, the Pacers blitzed Cleveland with offensive energy and ball movement that left the Cavs flat-footed. Tyrese Haliburton was the engine, orchestrating early plays that led to easy finishes for Obi Toppin, who was electric throughout the night. Toppin scored 20 points in just 21 minutes, throwing down highlight dunks and slicing through Cleveland’s porous interior defense.

The game briefly turned tense when Indiana’s Benedict Mathurin was ejected after delivering a shot to DeAndre Hunter’s midsection. Hunter, who responded with a technical foul of his own, summed up the moment’s intensity—but even without Mathurin, the Pacers never looked back.

By the second quarter, Indiana was already up 25. They were crisp, decisive, and relentless. Toppin attacked the baseline with a reverse slam that sent the home crowd into a frenzy. But the real turning point came when big man Myles Turner caught fire.

Turner, often an underappreciated piece in Indiana’s arsenal, erupted in the second quarter with a personal scoring barrage. He knocked down three consecutive triples, part of an incredible 17-0 Pacers run that ballooned their lead to an astonishing 41 points. Turner finished the half with 13 points in the second quarter alone, knocking down all his three-point attempts with the confidence of a shooting guard.

By halftime, the score was 74–33—a margin tied for the largest halftime lead in NBA postseason history.

Cleveland’s effort was disjointed. They committed 14 turnovers in the first half, matching their total from all of Game 3. Their defense was lifeless, and the offense, without a clear direction, fell into chaos. Matters only worsened when Donovan Mitchell appeared to tweak his ankle while warming up for the second half. He never returned to the floor, and the Cavs’ slim hopes faded entirely.

Pascal Siakam added 21 points on a near-perfect 9-of-10 shooting performance, while Haliburton continued his floor-general brilliance, dishing 13 assists to go with 18 points. TJ McConnell and the bench mob chipped in effectively, showing how deep and balanced this Indiana team really is.

Final score: Pacers 129, Cavs 109. But it wasn’t nearly that close. With Mitchell’s status in doubt and Cleveland’s confidence rattled, Game 5 shifts the pressure squarely onto the Cavaliers, who now face the daunting task of winning three straight.

Thunder Survive the Mile-High Grind, Tie Series Behind SGA’s Late-Game Heroics

Out West, the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off one of the most resilient wins of the playoffs so far, outlasting the defending champion Denver Nuggets 92–87 in a grueling Game 4 that looked straight out of the 1990s.

Neither team cracked 100 points. The game was physical, ugly, and chaotic—but in the best way. For OKC, it was all about grit, depth, and timely execution, especially from their All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

SGA scored 25 points, but it was how and when he scored them that mattered. With the Thunder clinging to a slim two-point lead and under six minutes remaining, he seized control, dropping eight points in crunch time to close out the game. A silky floater here, a fading jumper there—SGA was surgical when it mattered most.

Denver came into Game 4 looking to build off momentum from a Game 3 win, but their offense sputtered early. They made just eight field goals in the first half, the fewest by any playoff team since 2017. Even with Nikola Jokic finding some rhythm in the third quarter and Jamal Murray flashing bursts of shot-making, the Nuggets never looked fully comfortable.

After trailing by six entering the final frame, the Thunder’s supporting cast stepped up. Rookie Cason Wallace knocked down a clutch three. Aaron Wiggins drilled another. The ball zipped around the perimeter with purpose, and the defense, anchored by Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, smothered Denver’s options.

While Jokic managed 27 points, he shot just 7-of-22 from the field—his third straight sub-40% shooting performance. It’s the first time in his playoff career that Jokic has shot under 40% in three consecutive games, and the wear is starting to show. Brian Windhorst noted the impact of fatigue, as Denver is essentially playing with a six-and-a-half-man rotation after a taxing seven-game series against the Clippers.

Oklahoma City, by contrast, is fresh and deep. Their bench outscored Denver’s 35–8, with key contributions from Wiggins, Caruso, and Wallace. Their defense was swarming and calculated, with multiple bodies thrown at Jokic every time he touched the ball, forcing others like Russell Westbrook and Christian Braun to beat them from the perimeter—something they couldn’t consistently do.

Postgame Reactions: “Not a Funeral, But…”

In postgame pressers, both teams acknowledged the stakes. Jokic, ever stoic, reminded reporters, “It’s not a funeral. It’s best of three.” But even he admitted the Thunder’s energy and physicality had tilted the series.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said it best: “These are the moments where the guy on the team earns his buck… you win games, you close games.” And that’s exactly what he did.

Stephen A. Smith praised SGA and the Thunder for showing championship poise, saying, “They answered the call. That’s what potential champions and imminent MVPs are made of.”

Kendrick Perkins echoed the sentiment, noting that while SGA wasn’t at his smoothest, the Thunder’s defense and physicality were overwhelming. “They won this one in the trenches,” he said. “And that’s a problem for Denver.”

With the series now tied and Game 5 headed back to Oklahoma City, the pressure is firmly on the Nuggets. Can Jokic bounce back? Can Denver’s thin bench provide enough support? Or will OKC’s depth and energy overwhelm them once more?

Looking Ahead

Game 5 for both series looms large. Indiana will look to close out the Cavs, potentially without Donovan Mitchell. Meanwhile, Thunder-Nuggets becomes a best-of-three with OKC holding home-court advantage and momentum.

As the playoffs roll on, one thing is clear: no lead is safe, no star is immune, and no series is over until it’s over. Buckle up—this ride is just getting started.