Cavs Beat Shorthanded Pacers 117-108

Donovan Mitchell's big night leads Cleveland to victory despite missing key players.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 2:03am

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The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing without several key starters, defeated the even more shorthanded Indiana Pacers 117-108 on Sunday. All-NBA guard Donovan Mitchell led the way for the Cavs, scoring 38 points and adding 6 assists and 6 rebounds.

Why it matters

The win keeps the Cavaliers in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, despite dealing with injuries to their roster. The Pacers, already missing multiple starters, struggled to keep up with Mitchell and the Cavs' offense.

The details

The Cavaliers were without several regular starters, including All-Star center Jarrett Allen. However, they were able to overcome the absences thanks to a dominant performance from Donovan Mitchell. The Pacers were even more depleted, missing even more key players, which proved too much for them to overcome against the talented Cavs squad.

  • The game was played on Sunday, April 6, 2026.

The players

Donovan Mitchell

An All-NBA guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers who scored 38 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds in the win.

Cavaliers

The NBA team from Cleveland, Ohio that defeated the Indiana Pacers despite missing several key players due to injury.

Pacers

The NBA team from Indiana that was even more shorthanded than the Cavaliers, struggling to keep up in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“Donovan really carried us tonight. With so many guys out, we needed him to step up and he delivered in a big way.”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Cavaliers Head Coach

The takeaway

The Cavaliers showed their resilience and depth, finding a way to win despite key absences, while the Pacers' injury woes continued to hamper their ability to compete at the highest level.