The Indiana Pacers have seized control of their second-round series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, taking a commanding 3-1 lead following a dominant 129-109 win in Game 4 on Sunday night.

Pascal Siakam led the way for Indiana, scoring 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting while adding six rebounds, three assists and a steal. He finished with a game-high plus-minus of +29 in the Pacers’ blowout victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

After the win, Siakam addressed the team’s mindset and the chip they’ve carried into this postseason run.

“I think we work hard,” Siakam said. “I think we have a group of people that probably wasn’t given anything. We’re in a situation where, at the end of the day, nobody really cared to see us win.”

The three-time All-Star, who was acquired by Indiana last season in a midseason trade with Toronto, played a key role in the Pacers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024. Now in his first full season with the team, Siakam has continued to anchor Indiana’s playoff push with veteran poise and championship experience.

“So, when you have that, you have this belief of like, ‘It’s us against everybody.’ … we are who we are. That’s our team and the guys around – I said that in the summer, ‘look at everybody around this room like this is who we are and this is what we have,’” Siakam continued. “We’ve believed that from the beginning and that’s what we got to continue to do. When times are tough, we just rely on each other and that’s all it is to be honest. Like I said, there’s no ego, no emotions, it’s just about correcting the mistakes and getting better as a team and that’s what you want to have on your team.”

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Pascal Siakam’s leadership anchors Indiana as Pacers push Cavaliers to brink of elimination

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and forward Obi Toppin (1) celebrate a made basket during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
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The Pacers have now won three of the first four games in the series, bouncing back from a Game 3 loss. Their Game 4 performance featured a balanced offensive effort and aggressive defense that overwhelmed a Cavaliers team which had dominated throughout the regular season.

Cleveland entered the postseason with the NBA’s second best record at 64-18 and a league-leading 41-11 mark at home. Head coach Kenny Atkinson, in his first year with the team, was named NBA Coach of the Year after guiding the Cavaliers to the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Indiana will look to close out the series in Game 5 on Tuesday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT. A win would secure the Pacers’ second consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.

With a mix of seasoned veterans and emerging young talent, Indiana continues to exceed expectations in the postseason. Siakam’s steady leadership and playoff experience have proven valuable as the Pacers inch closer to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000, needing just five more wins to get there.