Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle says his team will still play like "we have everything to prove" despite a 3-1 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers. (More Sports News)
The Pacers took control of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 129-109 victory, putting the top seed on the brink of an early elimination after Game 4.
Indiana controlled the game throughout and opened up a 41-point advantage at the half, matching the largest margin after two quarters in a postseason game that the Cavaliers set in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics in 2017.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 11 points with five assists and five rebounds, one of seven Pacers players to finish in double figures, while three 바카라“ Obi Toppin, Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner 바카라“ had 20+ points.
Indiana's 129 points tied their most in a postseason game, but despite a record-matching performance, Carlisle remains wary.
"We haven't done anything yet," Carlisle said.
"We're going to keep approaching this like we have everything to prove. We know people don't believe in us ... the things about the scores and all that, it's meaningless.
"This game is now history. So, we got to stay in the present moment as much as we can, try to maintain an edge.
"There's going to be a big haymaker coming. We respect the heck out of their fans and what they got going there. A lot of work to do."
Cleveland struggled to impose themselves in the game, with Darius Garland finishing with 21 points, while Evan Mobley was limited to just 10.
They could also now be without Donovan Mitchell for Game 5, after sitting out the second half with a left ankle injury. He will have an MRI on Monday.
The Cavaliers had impressed in Game 3 to get themselves back into the series, but coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged they failed to make the same impression on Sunday.
"Complete domination by them," Atkinson said. "That's kind of the story. In every facet.
"They raised their game to another level, and we didn't match it. We talked about it. We knew it was coming.
"You try to prepare for these things. You try to prepare your guys mentally, but for whatever reason, they were at another level. Their force was greater in every sense."
Game 5 will take place in Cleveland on Tuesday, with the Cavaliers needing a win to avoid an early exit.
