Cavs outlast the Pacers to snap 3-game skid

Cavs end losing skid with a hard-fought win

The Cleveland Cavaliers finally stopped the bleeding from three consecutive losses with a wire-to-wire victory over the Indiana Pacers. The Cavs banked on every advantage of playing in front of their home crown to secure the 108-104 win.

Without their best playmakers on the floor, Cleveland once again leaned on the frontline of veteran forward Kevin Love, and Tower City’s starting duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

The five-time All-Star Love continued his recent offensive tear, scoring 20 off the bench while Allen also kept up in just his second game back, posting a double-double of 18 points and 11 boards to go with three blocked shots.

However, it was the rookie sensation Mobley who led all Cavaliers players in scoring with 24 markers off an efficient 69 percent shooting from the field. He also had nine rebounds and four assists in the hard-fought win.

On the other hand, the Cavs did just enough to stifle Indiana as neither team wanted to give an inch, but hardly slowed Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis, who finished with an impressive line of 32 points, 13 boards, and seven assists.

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Still playing without Darius Garland (health and safety protocols), and now also without Ricky Rubio (torn ACL) for the rest of the season, the brilliance of the big men allowed Cleveland to somehow mask their backcourt deficiencies.

The Cavs still await the arrival of newly-acquired veteran floor general Rajon Rondo from the Los Angeles Lakers, who is expected to immediately fill in and help run the offense that gave the team much success this season.

Cleveland remains very much afloat with a 21-16 record, currently standing fifth in the East, the resurgent team shoots not only for a playoff berth, but potentially for homecourt advantage during the early rounds of the postseason.

The Cavaliers are set to close out the three-game homestand against the Memphis Grizzlies on the 4th, prior to another lengthy and arduous journey out west. We will see how the team weathers another upcoming storm.