PHOENIX — Clay Holmes was initially stunned, then numb and eventually, well, rather intrigued.

Here he was, a two-time All-Star closer with 307 career appearances in the bullpen, never pitching more than 70 innings in any of his eight seasons, and suddenly he’s being asked to make a dramatic career change.

He had one, then two, then three teams calling him this winter to inquire whether if he was interested in giving up his role as a reliever, and be converted into a starter.

Meanwhile, three other teams called and made him offers to remain as a closer or late-inning reliever.

Holmes, a free agent for the first time, not only had to decide where he wanted to play – but what he wanted to do.

He could continue closing and accept one of the offers guaranteeing him more than $40 million.

Or he could gamble, earn a bit less money as a starting pitcher and take on a role he hadn’t played since his rookie season in 2018.

Holmes, 32, bet on himself.

He signed a three-year, $38 million contract with the New York Mets, believing he could potentially go where no pitcher has gone since Hall of Famer John Smoltz.

Holmes, who grew up in Georgia as a huge fan of the Atlanta legend, could become the only active player to be an All-Star as both a reliever and starting pitcher.

Holmes, who starts Friday in a first-place matchup against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field in New York, is putting himself in the All-Star conversation with a 4-1 record and 2.95 ERA. He not only has been one of baseball’s biggest surprises, but also invaluable to the Mets this season, who have been without veteran starters Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea.

“I definitely went into the offseason not expecting to be a starter,’ Holmes told USA TODAY Sports. “I mean, it wasn’t like the World Series ended and I went out seeking to be a starter. It was nothing I thought about.

“Then a couple of weeks later, my agent came to me and said there’s a couple of teams that are throwing out the idea, and were gauging my interest. I started thinking about it, and said, ‘Hey, why not? Let’s see what’s out there.’ ‘

‘Sense of desire from the Mets’

The Mets weren’t the first team to express interest in Holmes as a starter, said B.B. Abbott, Holmes’ agent, but they were the most convincing. They showed how their analytical studies proved it will work. Holmes was also familiar with manager Carlos Mendoza and assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel, his former Yankee coaches. And he loves playing in New York.

“They did a good job laying it all out for him,’ Abbott said. “They saw his pitches. They had the analytic guys talk to him. Ultimately, it down to the familiarity of the staff, the way they were going to utilize him, the comfort of New York, and being on a winning team.’

The Yankees, who helped develop Holmes into one of the game’s top closers, never once did brought up the idea of Holmes becoming a starter. They were lightly engaged in talks with him in the offseason about a possible return, but strictly as a reliever.

“I mean, there were jokes about it last year,’ Holmes said, “but that was it. I started throwing a change-up in bullpen sessions, and before you knew it, I was throwing five [different] pitches down there. There would be jokes about it, like ‘man, you should be starting with all of these pitches,’ but it was nothing more than a joke.

“But when the idea came up in the offseason, it really got my the wheel turning, like, I know I can do this. I can expand my arsenal.’

Abbott knew that Holmes was taking the idea seriously and by the time it was ready to make a decision, Holmes was informed he could make more money remaining as a closer, but the challenge burned inside him.

“Clay has always been very analytical, very intelligent, and he grasps the analytic side of pitching,’ Abbott said. “He always talked about stuff he was working on. So, it didn’t surprise me, honestly. What surprised me was how many teams were along for the ride. Some teams weren’t even interested in signing him but were asking questions, ‘Hey, did you ever think about starting?’

“Well, he had some curiosities in the back of his mind, but it sure wasn’t anything we discussed. He’s just a guy who loves to be intellectually and physically challenged.’

The Mets ultimately proposed that challenge, and Holmes was ready to embrace it, intrigued by Mets president David Stearns and the coaching staff’s plans for him.

“I felt like there was a real sense of desire from the Mets,’ Holmes said. “Stearns asked me a lot of questions, and there was a real belief that I could not only be just a starter, but a really good starting pitcher. I think that goes a long way, and obviously just a desire to win and what they’re trying to build here with the Mets.

“They really just drew me in, and it felt right.’

‘He had the weapons’

Still, despite all of the analytics and belief by the Mets that it could be possible, Holmes’ conversion was a surprise move for a team vying to win its first World Series title since 1986.

“I remember when we first signed him,’ Mets reliever Ryne Stanek said, “and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. That’s a good deal. He’s going to really help our bullpen.’ But then when I heard he was going into the rotation, I sure didn’t see that coming.

“And when I saw him in spring training, I thought, ‘You know, if there’s someone that can do it, it’s him. He’s just such a good pitcher, and he’s been in those tight ballgames in big environments. If things get a little hairy, he can go out and do it.’

Said Mets All-Star right fielder Juan Soto, who played for the Yankees last season: “I never thought about him being a starter. Never. I mean, I knew he worked hard every day, but to go from throwing one inning to being a starter, that’s tough. What he’s doing now is so impressive.’

Seven starts into the season and Holmes now has everyone in New York believing in him, hoping it can last all season. He has pitched 36 ⅔ innings, already just 27 ⅓ innings shy of last year’s entire total.

“Physically, he’s a big boy (6-foot-5, 245 pounds), so if someone can manage that workload and make that transition, it would be him,’ Mendoza said. “My biggest question making that transition was what his third and fourth pitches would be, because in my years with the Yankees, it was sinker/slider. He was very tough on righties, so I knew as a starter, teams were going to load up with the lefties.

“Well, what we’ve seen is that with teams loading up lefties against him, the changeup is not just a pitch, it’s a weapon.’

Said Druschel: “All of his pitches are above average, but that changeup has been devastating.’

Holmes, who had not thrown a single changeup in a game since 2019 with the Pirates, has already thrown 98 this season, accounting for 16% of his pitches. Hitters have been virtually helpless, batting just .182 with only one extra-base hit and a 38% swing-and-miss rate. He now has had a six-pitch mix with his sinker (35%), changeup (16%), sweeper (16%), slider (13%), cutter (11.9%) and four-seam fastball (8.9%).

“There was really not a need for the changeup before,’ Druschel said, “but with the transition, we needed more depth in his repertoire to go multiple times through the order. Then, he’s in tune and adept with the analytics and understanding the numbers. You know, ‘I need this for this purpose with lefties or righties or whatnot. I need to fill these gaps,’ and that’s basically what he’s done.

“I was pretty sure that he had the weapons, and I was really confident that he would be able to do this because he’s so smart. He knew he had to train differently to be a starter than a reliever.’’

Holmes spent the winter in Georgia working on his conditioning, improving his cardiovascular activity, and began throwing earlier than in the past. Holmes has never thrown this much by early May since 2018, but he insists he feels fresh.

The $38 million question now is whether he can sustain this workload for an entire season.

It was just a year ago when Jordan Hicks was converted from a reliever to a starter with the San Francisco Giants. Everything went smooth for the first 11 starts when he was 4-1 with a 2.33 ERA, but he was out of the starting rotation two months later. He never won another game, finishing with a 6.10 ERA the final four months, yielding a .321 batting average and .920 OPS.

The Mets are carefully monitoring Holmes. They have used a six-man rotation, and with a scheduled day off each week during May, will be able to give all of their starters an extra day between starts. Holmes, who has not gone longer than six innings or thrown more than 92 pitches in his seven starts, has pitched just once since April 26.

‘You train the body to accept the demands that you’re asking of it, which he has, I see no reason why you can’t push that innings limit up to any normal starter,’ Druschel said.

Besides, if he needs a role model, he has to look no further than former teammate Michael King of the San Diego Padres. They were in the Yankee bullpen together when King was traded to the Padres in the Soto trade. King became a full-time starter with the Padres, increased his workload from 104 ⅔ innings in 2023 to 185 ⅔ across the regular season and postseason last season, and felt as strong in October as April.

“I mean you can look at some of the older guys,’ Holmes said. “They would go from being a reliever to a starter, and go from 65 innings to 200 innings, four years in a row, and have no problems. So, we’ll see. If we need to recalibrate, we can.’

For now, well, the biggest adjustment may be his souvenir baseball collection. He saved the baseball from each of his 74 career saves with the Yankees, but now that he’s a starter, well, the cupboard remains bare.

“Well, maybe when I get that first complete game,’ he said, laughing. “Right now, I’m more focused on making the adjustment in my routine.’

‘Journey’ going perfect so far

When Holmes was with the Yankees, he showed up at the ballpark knowing he could be appearing in any game. Now that he’s a starter, he’s five days’ notice.

“As a reliever, there’s a there’s just a certain energy the way you kind of go about things,’ Holmes said. “It’s like your whole day is just building to a moment. You become accustomed to that. It’s a thing you really enjoy, kind of a thrilling experience.

“As a starter, it’s just very different, you spend the week preparing for that moment. Even though I’m not impacting the game every day, which I miss, just the starter routine and be able to make a huge impact on that one game is something I enjoy more than I thought. Instead of having that quick adrenaline rush, you have a slow buildup.

“So far, this journey has been great, and this thing honestly has worked out perfectly so far.’

Certainly, Holmes’ transition has drawn the attention of pitchers around baseball.

“For him to do this is pretty impressive,’ said Arizona Diamondbacks veteran Shelby Miller, who spent the first seven years of his career as a starter and the past four as a reliever. “You see a lot of starters go into the bullpen later in their careers, but pretty rare to go as a reliever to a starter. It’s really special to see him do this.’

If Holmes continues his success, he could be helping open the door for teams to experiment with their own relievers, knowing that a pitcher who can make 30 starts a year is more valuable than someone pitching 60 to 70 innings out of the pen. Look at Seth Lugo. He was a reliever for most of his time with the Mets, signed with the Padres and became a full-time starter and last year finished second in the AL Cy Young race by going 16-9 with a 3.00 for the Kansas City Royals.

“There’s a lot of relievers in the big leagues who were starters at some point,’ Holmes said, “so there might be some desire there. I think as the game grows, and the ability to have the different pitch designs, you might see more guys doing it now. Teams are looking for value, and if they see guys in the pen that they might be able to move into the starting rotation, they’re going to be open to doing that.

“We’ll see where it all goes.

“But I can definitely see a trend happening, and it feels good to be a part of it.’

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The 2025 NBA playoffs continued Friday with Game 3 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. 

Donovan Mitchell’s 43-point performance guided the Cavaliers to a 126-104 rout over the Pacers and their first victory in the series. Indiana still holds a 2-1 lead with the road team winning each game in the series.

While Mitchell had a busy night, it was a fairly quiet night for Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who was limited to just four points.

Jarrett Allen (19 points and 12 rebounds) and Evan Mobley (18 points and 13 rebounds) produced double-doubles in the victory. Max Strus added 20 points.

The Pacers staged a remarkable comeback in Game 2, winning 120-119 when Haliburton made a last-second 3-pointer to sink the top-seeded Cavaliers. Bennedict Mathurin scored a team-high 23 points for Indiana.

Cavaliers vs. Pacers highlights

Final: Cavaliers 126, Pacers 104

End of third quarter: Cavaliers 97, Pacers 79

The Pacers outscored the Cavs 34-31 in the quarter after Indiana showed signs of life with an 11-2 run during a two-minute stretch in the third quarter. The Cavs were able to gain some momentum after Myles Turner left the game briefly.

Turner went back to the locker room with close to six minutes left in the quarter after a potential foot injury. Turner returned just minutes later after having his ankle retaped.

The Cavs have led by as many as 24 points through the first three quarters of play. The Pacers have not led at any point during the game.

End of second quarter: Cavaliers 66, Pacers 45

The Cavaliers outscored the Pacers 34-13 in the second quarter to take a comfortable lead into the locker room. Donovan Mitchell produced 17 points and five rebounds in the first half while Jarrett Allen and Max Strus finished with 13 points each.

Tyrese Haliburton went scoreless in the second quarter for the Pacers after scoring just two points in the first quarter.

The Pacers shot just 3-for-11 against the Cavaliers’ zone defense in the first half. All three shots came in the second quarter, according to ESPN.

End of first quarter: Cavaliers 32, Pacers 32

It was a roller coaster first quarter in Indianapolis.

The Cavaliers sprinted out to an 11-0 lead and pushed it to 19-5, but Indiana slowly crawled back throughout the frame and tied it up with under 5 seconds to play on a Ben Sheppard 3-pointer.

Myles Turner has a game-high 12 points for Indiana, and Bennedict Mathurin added eight off the bench. Evan Mobley and Max Strus led Cleveland with eight points apiece in the first.

What time is Cavaliers vs. Pacers Game 3?

Game 3 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers will tip at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Friday, May 9.

How to watch Cavaliers vs. Pacers Game 3: TV, stream

• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: Fubo

Watch Cavaliers-Pacers Game 3 with Fubo

Cavaliers vs. Pacers NBA playoff schedule, results

(Pacers lead series, 2-0)

• Game 1: Pacers 121, Cavaliers 112
• Game 2: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119
• Game 3: Cavaliers at Pacers | Friday, 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo
• Game 4: Cavaliers at Pacers | Sunday, May 11 | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV, Max, Sling TV
• Game 5: Pacers at Cavaliers | Tuesday, May 13 | TBD | TNT, truTV, Max, Sling TV*
• Game 6: Cavaliers at Pacers | Thursday, May 15 | TBD | ESPN, Fubo*
• Game 7: Pacers at Cavaliers | Sunday, May 18 | TBD | TBD*

Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves to help the Winnipeg Jets even their Western Conference semifinal series against the Dallas Stars with a 4-0 win in Game 2 on Friday night.

Hellebuyck, the front-runner to win a third Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie and also also finalist for the Hart Trophy, has 49 shutouts in his career, including four in the postseason.

Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Dallas.

Nikolaj Ehlers had two goals and an assist, Gabriel Vilardi and Adam Lowry also scored and Dylan DeMelo had two assists for the Jets, who won the Presidents’ Trophy for the best record during the regular season.

Jake Oettinger turned aside 21 shots for the Stars, who were coming off a 3-2 road victory in Game 1 on Wednesday.

Tyler Seguin was called for a double-minor high-sticking penalty on Josh Morrissey 17 seconds into the game, and Vilardi scored with 42 seconds left on the four-minor power play to give the Jets a 1-0 lead.

Ehlers took a shot that clipped off Oettinger’s skate, hit the post, came back and hit Oettinger’s skate blade and was heading back toward the goal line when Vilardi pushed it across.

Morrissey had missed Game 1 after sustaining an upper-body injury in Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

The Jets scored again when a centering pass by Ehlers went off the skate of Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell and redirected into his own net, giving Winnipeg a 2-0 lead at 7:07 of the first.

The Jets extended the lead to 3-0 at 11:02 of the second.

A shot from the right point by DeMelo was deflected wide and caromed off the end boards and out the other side. Lowry was there to sweep the puck into the net from the bottom of the left circle before Oettinger could slide over.

Hellebuyck made two more Grade-A saves in the second period, a sprawling stop on Evgenii Dadonov at 14:16, followed by a left pad save on Jamie Benn off a rush at 15:32.

Hellebuyck led the NHL in wins (47), goals-against average (2.00) and shutouts (eight) during the regular season, and was second in save percentage (.925). However, he had struggled in the playoffs entering Game 2, owning a 4-4 mark,a 3.75 GAA and a .836 save percentage.

Ehlers scored into an empty net with 3:40 left to make it 4-0.

The defending champion Florida Panthers are back in their second-round series after downing the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 in overtime Friday.

Trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand, a thorn in the Maple Leafs’ side during his Boston Bruins days, added a new chapter with his winning goal at 15:27 of overtime. It has his fourth career playoff overtime goal and also his 14th postseason game-winner, tops among active players.

The Panthers now trail the best-of-seven series 2-1 after coach Paul Maurice’s moves paid off.

He swapped out the entire fourth line, which provided energy and a goal. He also tweaked the top two lines, which were highly effective.

The Panthers still had to come back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to win. Sergei Bobrovsky, who looked shaky early, made several big saves in overtime in a game that was filled with lots of hits and fluky goals.

USA TODAY Sports provided live coverage for Game 3 between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Here are updates and highlights:

Panthers vs. Maple Leafs highlights

Panthers social media staff grateful for Marchand

Game 3 recap

Panthers-Maple Leafs final score: Brad Marchand wins it in overtime

Brad Marchand scores at 15:27 of overtime. After sustained pressure in the zone, Marchand skates toward the left faceoff circle and his shot hits something and deflects over Joseph Woll’s shoulder for a 5-4 win. The Panthers cut their series deficit to 2-1.

Another Sergei Bobrovsky save

Matthew Knies tracks down a loose puck, breaks in alone and Bobrovsky stops him.

Seven minutes left

Joseph Woll keeps the puck out as Panthers press. They’re scraping the ice with 6:56 left.

Big save by Sergei Bobrovsky

He stops William Nylander, who broke in after a long pass from the Leafs zone.

Overtime begins

Maple Leafs kill off the remaining 13 seconds of Max Pacioretty’s penalty.

Goal change

Jonah Gadjovich is awarded the goal originally given to Tomas Nosek. The puck defected off Gadjovich.

End of third period: Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 4

Morgan Rielly tied the game with a fluke goal in the third period. The Maple Leafs get some big blocks during a late Panthers power play and Sam Reinhart hits the post. We’re heading to overtime.

Maple Leafs hit crossbar

Game still tied.

Penalty missed

Morgan Rielly high-sticks Anton Lundell, but nothing is called.

Panthers-Maple Leafs score: Morgan Rielly scores on fluke play

He throws the puck at the end. Sergei Bobrovsky makes a blocker save and the puck goes off Panthers defenseman Seth Jones leg and into the net. Rielly had accidentally knocked the puck into his own net earlier in the game. Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 4

End of third period

This game has had several goals involving strange bounces and the Maple Leafs tie the game on one when Sergei Bobrovsky makes a blocker save and the puck goes off Panthers defenseman Seth Jones and into the net. Morgan Rielly got the goal. Both teams hit the post afterward and we’re going to overtime.

Panthers go on power play

Max Pacioretty is called for tripping Seth Jones. There’s 1:47 left in regulation. Sam Reinhart hits the post. Maple Leafs get some blocks and it’s heading to overtime. There will be 13 seconds left on the power play once overtime starts.

Midway through third period

More deliberate pace so far. Shots are 3-2 Toronto.

Third period underway

Goalie Joseph Woll was a near-giveaway early but recovers to stop Anton Lundell.

End of second period: Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 3

Toronto scores early and Florida controls like, just like the first period. The difference this time: Florida puts in three goals to take the lead. The Panthers led in shots, 9-4, and had another 20-plus hits in the period. The Maple Leafs led after two periods in the first two games of the series

Tomas Nosek slow to get up

Tomas Nosek, who scored the go-ahead goal, barrels into the net and is slow to get up. He starts heading to the dressing room but comes back to the bench.

Maple Leafs-Panthers score: Florida takes lead

Panthers coach Paul Maurice changed out his fourth line and the new one connects. Tomas Nosek takes a shot that deflects several times. He’s credited for now, his first goal of the playoffs. Fourth line looking good in this game. Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 3

Maple Leafs go on power play

Dmitry Kulikov holds Max Domi. Toronto already has a power-play goal in this game. Florida’s Brad Marchand gets the best chance. Penalty killed.

Maple Leafs-Panthers score: Carter Verhaeghe ties it up

Carter Verhaeghe has a wide-open net after a great pass from Sam Bennett. Two Florida goals in 64 seconds and we’re tied. Panthers 3, Maple Leafs 3

Maple Leafs-Panthers score: Florida scores weird goal

Brandon Carlo uses a broken stick to stop the puck from crossing the line. Sam Reinhart scores but it’s not clear that’s in until a replay shows the puck over the line. Maple Leafs 3, Panthers 2

Maple Leafs-Panthers score: John Tavares scores again

With the Maple Leafs on a power play, John Tavares tips a Mitch Marner point shot. It goes in off Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling. Maple Leafs 3, Panthers 1

Second period underway

2-1 Toronto.

End of first period: Maple Leafs 2, Panthers 1

Florida got off to a disastrous start by giving up a Mathew Knies goal 23 seconds in, the Maple Leafs’ quickest playoff goal in 62 years. Toronto added another goal off the rush (Florida was too aggressive on the forecheck) before the game was six minutes old. But the Panthers started controlling play after and got an Aleksander Barkov goal (knocked in by Morgan Rielly). Shots are 12-10 Toronto. Florida has a huge edge in hits, 24-10.

Panthers back on power play

Max Domi called for roughing Carter Verhaeghe. But power play doesn’t last long. Verhaeghe is called for holding the stick. Before Florida can touch the puck, Mitch Marner is stopped on a short-handed breakaway. Florida kills off the abbreviate Toronto power play.

Panthers go on power play

Brandon Carlo in the penalty box for his hit on Matthew Tkachuk. Panthers get some looks, Sam Reinhart hits the post and Toronto kills it off.

Panthers-Maple Leafs score: Aleksander Barkov gets one back

Aleksander Barkov throws a hit, takes a Sam Reinhart pass and drives the net. Morgan Rielly accidentally puts it into his own net. Maple Leafs 2, Panthers 1

Panthers-Maple Leafs score: John Tavares doubles lead

Maple Leafs get a 3-on-2 break. John Tavares gets the puck and scores on a wraparound at 5:57. Sergei Bobrovsky can’t get back in time. Max Pacioretty and William Nylander continue their strong play by picking up the assists. Maple Leafs 2, Panthers 0

Panthers-Maple Leafs score: Toronto strikes early

Matthew Knies scores 23 seconds into the game. Not the start Florida wants. Knies knocks in a rebound after Mitch Marner’s shot hits the crossbar. Maple Leafs 1, Panthers 0

Game underway

Auston Matthews line vs. Aleksander Barkov line.

What time is Panthers vs. Maple Leafs?

Game 3 between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs will start at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, May 9, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

How to watch Panthers vs. Maple Leafs playoff game: TV, stream

• Date: Friday, May 9
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Stream: Sling, Max

Panthers vs. Maple Leafs, Game 3

Panthers lineup change

According to the Panthers roster report, Tomas Nosek, A.J. Greer, Jonah Gadjovich are dressing for this game, replacing fourth-liners Mackie Samoskevich, Nico Sturm and Jesper Boqvist. Evan Rodrigues moves to the top line and Carter Verghaeghe goes to the second line.

Sergei Bobrovsky stats in second round

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky uncharacteristically has given up nine goals on 50 shots in the series.

‘Our confidence (in Bobrovsky) is never wavering,’ forward Sam Reinhart said. ‘We feel we’ve got the best goalie in the world back there. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for him. I think we can do a better job of that.’

INDIANAPOLIS — Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points for a second consecutive 40-point outing, but this time it didn’t come in defeat as the Cavaliers beat the Pacers 126-104 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Cavs trimmed the Pacers’ series lead to 2-1, avoiding the 3-0 deficit from which no NBA team has ever come back. Game 4 is 8 p.m. ET, Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Cavs’ win guarantees the series will go at least five games with Game 5 being in Cleveland.

Guard Max Strus had 20 points and seven assists for the Cavs. Center Jarrett Allen had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Forward Evan Mobley had 18 points and 13 rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 points. Forward Pascal Siakam added 18. Center Myles Turner added 15.

Here are three observations.

Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley refuse to allow Cavs to get swept

Mitchell gave the Cavs 48 points in a sensational performance in Game 2, but it still wasn’t enough for the Cavs to avoid a fourth-quarter collapse. He wasn’t about to let it happen again, and he also had more stars available to help him with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter all back after missing Game 2 with injury.

Mitchell, as he has been all series, was impossible to keep away from the rim without fouling. He scored 43 points on 14-of-29 shooting with much of that coming at the rim, but he also hit 5-of-13 3s. He was also 10-of-14 at the line and when he wasn’t scoring he was playmaking for others. He grabbed nine rebounds and also dished out five assists.

The Cavs had four other players in double figures but Mobley was the most important on both ends. He scored 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting but he was a bigger game-changer on the defensive end. The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year grabbed 13 rebounds, including eight on defense, blocked three shots and registered three steals.

Pacers fall apart in second quarter

In three of the past four games, the Pacers have put together a truly awful offensive quarter in the first half to dig a hole for themselves. In Friday’s case it was the second quarter after a 13-point first quarter against the Bucks in Game 5 of the first round and a 15-point first quarter against the Cavs in Game 2.

The Pacers seemed totally flummoxed by the 3-2 zone the Cavs used, and Mobley personally blew up a lot of what the Pacers were trying to do. They lost the period 34-13 making just five of 22 field goals and missing all 11 of their 3-point shots. They managed five paint buckets in the period but that was almost all the offense they could muster.

Bennedict Mathurin brings another strong bench performance

In each game so far in this series, Mathurin has brought a spark to the Pacers when they absolutely had to have it and brought a sustained level of force on both ends.

The third-year wing broke the Pacers out of an early first-quarter funk with three buckets, including a pair of 3s. That helped the Pacers turn an 0-of-7 start from the field and a stretch where only Myles Turner could score points into a 32-point first quarter.

From there, Mathurin kept attacking the rim and kept drawing fouls and showed some shooting touch. He finished with 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-8 from 3-point range and 8-of-9 from the line. He also caused Garland trouble on defense, getting him to pick up his fourth foul at a critical time.

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