CLEVELAND (AP) — Aaron Nesmith scored a career-high 26 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, sending the Indiana Pacers to a 125-113 victory over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.
Cleveland played without three starters, including All-NBA shooting guard Donovan Mitchell (right hamstring soreness). Point guard Darius Garland (left hamstring strain) and center Jarrett Allen (left ankle bone bruise) also remained out.
Myles Turner had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Indiana, which outscored the Cavaliers 29-12 in the second quarter and won its second straight game to open the season. Bennedict Mathurin and Jalen Smith added 13 points apiece.
Evan Mobley had 33 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks for Cleveland. Caris LeVert started at the point and had 31 points and eight assists, while Max Strus finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Mitchell was walking with a pronounced limp following the Cavaliers’ 108-105 home loss to Oklahoma City on Friday. The four-time All-Star scored 43 points in 42 minutes against the Thunder, but Cleveland blew a nine-point lead in the final two minutes.
“Donovan has some tightness that we don’t want to play around with,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
The Cavaliers pulled within 93-92 early in the fourth on Georges Niang's 3-pointer, but Nesmith and Buddy Hield answered with back-to-back 3s. Indiana put the game away with three minutes left when Haliburton buried consecutive 3-pointers.
The Pacers began their season Wednesday with a 143-120 home victory over Washington and lead the league with a 134.0 scoring average.
LeVert scored 19 points in the first seven minutes as Cleveland jumped ahead 27-12. He finished the first with 22 points on 9-of 12-shooting, including 4 of 5 on 3-pointers.
Cavaliers guards Emoni Bates and Craig Porter Jr. were scoreless in their NBA debuts. Bates, the No. 49 draft pick, airballed his first shot, a 3-pointer in transition.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Chicago on Monday.
Cavaliers: Host New York on Tuesday.
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