Cleveland hosted the first two games of the second-round matchup against Indiana, but the Cavs didn’t take advantage of home-court advantage, losing both games to the Pacers. With the series shifting to Indianapolis, Cleveland faced a must-win situation. Fortunately, its stars answered the bell.
Darius Garland (toe), Evan Mobley (ankle), and De’Andre Hunter (thumb) all missed the pivotal Game 2, but the trio of key players returned to help the Cavs to a 126-104 blowout win. Head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke about their return in the postgame presser, calling it a huge boost.
All smiles from Cavs Head Coach Kenny Atkinson
Calls the return of Garland, Mobley and Hunter a ‘’huge boost’’ @WKYCSports | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/WAZVlF7WUh
— Chris Renkel (@Chris_Renkel) May 10, 2025
While Donovan Mitchell will rightfully get the headlines for his 43-point masterpiece, Garland, Mobley, and Hunter all made their presences felt on both ends, with Mobley turning in a two-way masterpiece of his own, scoring 18 points, grabbing 13 boards, and totaling three steals and three blocks.
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Cleveland controlled things from the get-go, and even after relinquishing their big first-quarter lead and going into the second frame tied at 32, they quickly took control again and headed to the locker room up 66-45. Tyrese Haliburton (4 points) and Aaron Nesmith (7 points) were virtual non-factors after combining for 42 points in Indiana’s Game 2 comeback win.
Here’s more on how Garland, Mobley, and Hunter played in the Game 3 win, as Cleveland is now down 2-1 in the series.
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Darius Garland stats Game 3 vs. Pacers
Garland was the most heavily scrutinized of the injured Cavaliers. He sprained his toe in Game 2 of Cleveland’s first-round series against Miami. He missed the final two games of that series and the first two against Indiana.
Garland finally returned to the court in Game 3, and Cleveland picked up their first win of the series. Coincidence? Actually, probably yes. Of the three injured players who returned for this game, Garland easily had the worst performance. He got into early foul trouble, with four fouls in the first half.
Darius Garland picks up his fourth foul in the first half of Game 3 😳 pic.twitter.com/dzVHgEcMy0
— ESPN (@espn) May 10, 2025
When Garland was on the court, he struggled to get into a rhythm shooting and led the team lead in turnovers. At times, he looked to be in visible discomfort, clearly playing through a painful injury and giving his team all he can muster. If it’s not more than what he showed in Game 3, Cleveland could be in trouble.
- Minutes: 25
- Points: 10
- Rebounds: 1
- Assists: 3
- Turnovers: 4
- FG: 3-11
- 3FG: 2-7
- FT: 2-2
Despite his overall bad stats, Garland did have one of the best assists you’ll see in the playoffs.
Darius Garland SWEET no-look to Mobley for the dunk 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U1yT3JsmOV
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 10, 2025
Here is what head coach Kenny Atkinson said about Garland returning for Game 3.
Kenny Atkinson on Darius Garland playing through an injury:
“He’s just playing through a lot of pain, quite honestly. He’s kinda taking one for the team here. He had to push through a lot tonight” pic.twitter.com/WY4FDbEWYq
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) May 10, 2025
Evan Mobley stats Game 3 vs. Pacers
Mobley was dealing with a lower leg injury that he suffered in Game 1. It was enough to keep him out of Game 2, but he was able to return in Game 3. Unlike Garland, Mobley was able to look more like himself and contribute much more to the win, showing why he was named Defensive Player of the Year with a standout performance on that end of the court.
- Minutes: 35
- Points: 18
- Rebounds: 13
- Assists: 4
- Steals: 3
- Blocks: 3
- FG: 6-13
- 3FG: 1-3
- FT: 5-6
4️⃣ with the 3️⃣. @evanmobley | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/lRMrF5mWUV
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) May 10, 2025
Atkinson is shifting around how the team uses Mobley, lining him up in different places for better matchups.
Kenny Atkinson is using Evan Mobley at the top of the 3-2 zone to completely shut down the Pacers offense
His length and recovery ability suppressed Indy’s potential above the break 3PA & CLE bent their zone once the ball found Turner/Siakam pic.twitter.com/pJAqxScZGv
— #InSnyderWeTrust (@dlee4three) May 10, 2025
De’Andre Hunter stats Game 3 vs. Pacers
Hunter was the lone player of the trio who isn’t a regular starter. Still, the versatile wing provides necessary depth off the bench. He tried throwing down an impressive dunk in Game 1, but it was blocked. During the play, he dislocated his thumb, which caused him to miss the remainder of that game and Game 2.
He played valuable defense and added a little bit on offense, providing a key mix that Cleveland was clearly missing in their last game.
- Minutes: 21
- Points: 8
- Rebounds: 5
- Assists: 0
- FG: 2-6
- 3FG: 1-5
- FT: 3-4
De’Andre Hunter BURIES a triple 🎯pic.twitter.com/Li50GsLWOy
— Cavs Nation (@CavsNationCP) May 10, 2025
