Cavaliers pushed before getting past lowly Pacers

CLEVELAND — One might have a difficult time convincing the Cavaliers the Indiana Pacers are in tank mode. Cleveland (49-29) rode the hot hands of guards Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, who combined for 66 points, to outlast the Pacers 117-108 on Easter Sunday at Rocket Arena. The Cavs trailed virtually the entire game before outscoring Indiana 27-17 in the fourth quarter to leave the Pacers in their wake. However, it was anything but easy. Mitchell, a seven-time All-Star, converted 16 for 27 shots from the field en route to a game-high 38 points, six rebounds, six assists and one steal. "(It's about Mitchell) knowing the moment, knowing when to go," Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. "He smelled it." The Cavs coach said when Mitchell attacks the basket, their offense is most effective. He appeared to tweak his ankle in the fourth quarter, but before anyone in the media could ask about it, he calmed everyone's fears. "I'm OK," he said. "No issues." Swingman Max Strus injured his left wrist in the second quarter and went to the locker room where he had X-rays, which were negative. He started the second half with his wrist wrapped. Unfortunately, he was 0-for-5 from the field in the second half, 1-for-10 for the game. Strus finished with four points, seven rebounds and five assists. Harden was effective with 28 points, four rebounds, a game-high seven assists, three steals and one block. He was 5-for-11 from the 3-point line, 7-for-8 from the foul line. Cleveland has the third-ranked late-game offense in the league since Harden arrived from Los Angeles at the trade deadline. "Give (Harden) the ball and get out of the way," Atkinson said. "Ninety-nine percent of it is James Harden making the right play." He's like a top-flight signal-caller. "He's quarterbacking the whole thing," Mitchell said. "He draws so much attention. There is no panic." The Cavs, who have won eight of their last 10 games, also got large production from backup center Thomas Bryant. He finished with 14 points and a season-high 10 rebounds in his first start of the season. Both Jarrett Allen (knee) and Evan Mobley (calf) were held out of the game for injury management. Bryant's huge dunk in the fourth quarter excited his teammates. Teammate Larry Nance jumped on Bryant's back in celebration. "It felt good to get a poster dunk," he said. "It brought joy to my heart. I always try to play the game with infectious energy." Former Mentor High School and Ohio State University star Michah Potter paced Indiana (18-60) with 21 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and four assists. Forward Obi Toppin also had 21 points and eight rebounds. The Pacers had a 58-55 advantage at halftime. Cleveland didn't get its first lead until Mitchell's 3-pointer handed it a 61-60 edge in the third quarter. Still, they trailed 91-90 entering the fourth quarter. Mitchell made all five of his shots in the final quarter for 12 points. Contact Bob Finnan at (440) 329-7135 or rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.