The Cleveland Cavaliers lost star Donovan Mitchell after what was a historically-bad first half on Sunday night.
Mitchell did not take the court with the Cavaliers for the second half of their Game 4 matchup against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday. Mitchell wasn’t with the team on the bench, either, as the second half got started in Indianapolis.
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Then midway through the second half, the Cavaliers said that Mitchell was doubtful to return with a left ankle injury. Mitchell actually tweaked his ankle while warming back up for the second half. He was seen preparing to take a shot near the top of the arc when he suddenly stepped awkwardly and bent down, clearly in a lot of pain.
Further specifics of his injury are not yet known. Mitchell had 12 points and shot 3-of-11 from the field in the first half.
The Pacers, who entered the night with a 2-1 series lead, jumped to a 38-23 lead after the opening quarter while holding the Cavaliers to just four made field goals in the first 12 minutes. The Pacers opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run, too, which gave them a 25-point lead.
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The Pacers closed the second quarter on a 19-2 tear to jump up by 41 — which matched an NBA postseason record. They dropped 80 points in the first half alone while shooting 60% from the field, and they seemingly couldn’t miss. They hit their final seven shots of the period, too, and had 25 assists. That’s the most in any half of a playoff game in the play-by-play area.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, managed just eight made field goals in the first half compared to the 30 that the Pacers made.
This post will be updated with more information shortly.
