The Cleveland Cavaliers are hosting the Indiana Pacers on the first night of a home-road back-to-back! I'll be live updating this page throughout the night.

The Cavs will be without Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, and Jaylon Tyson. The Pacers are dressing nine players.

Starters:

Pacers - Thompson, Jackson, Brown, Slawson, Potter

Cavs - Harden, Mitchell, Strus, Ellis, Bryant

FIRST QUARTER

Cavs down 20-10 less than five minutes in. Pacers have knocked down six of eight treys already. Good start for Micah Potter in his homecoming game. 

Jalen Slawson's hitting these threes early. Got three of 'em.

Quick 8-3 spurt for the wine and gold. Donovan Mitchell with his patented up-and-over move, followed by James Harden driving right to left highlighted that. Cavs down 23-18 as Rick Carlisle calls for time. 

First subs in for Cavs are Dennis Schroder, Craig Porter Jr., and Larry Nance Jr. for Mitchell, Max Strus, and Thomas Bryant.

Mitchell got downhill the whole second portion of the opening quarter. Cleveland getting some good balance offensively in shots.

END 1Q: Pacers 32, Cavs 31

IND: Potter 8p, 2r, 2a. Slawson 9p, 1r, 1a. Jackson 5p, 3a, stl. Peter 5p.

CLE: Mitchell 11p, 5r, 2a, stl. Harden 6p, 2r, 1a. Strus 4p, 1r, 1a.

SECOND QUARTER

Tyrese Proctor checks in for the first time to start the second. Nae'Qwan Tomlin follows in. A bigger lineup for Cavs here with Proctor-Mitchell-Strus-Nance-Tomlin.

The Pacers have consistently been getting the ball into the post against Cleveland's guards, and they're getting to the line with easy foul draws or the big is kicking it out for easy threes. Indiana is up with about seven minutes left in the half.

Mitchell and Harden have been getting to their spots well this quarter. 

Max Strus is clutching his left hand after getting tied up with Micah Potter in the post. He's heading back to the locker room.

Good energy from the Schroder-Harden-Mitchell-Ellis-Bryant five-man group to close the half, especially TB.

HALF: Pacers 58, Cavs 55

IND: Potter 14p, 7r, 3a. Slawson 14p, 4r, 1a. Jackson 9p, 4a, 3r, 2stl. Toppin 8p, 6r, stl. 

CLE: Mitchell 15p, 6r, 3a, stl. Harden 19p, 3r, 3stl, 2a. Bryant 9p, 4r, 1a. Nance 5p, 1r.

THIRD QUARTER

Strus back on the floor to start the second half. Looks fine.

Cavs took their first lead of the game at 61-60 and it lasted a short time. Just a heck of a day for Potter right now. Slawson and Quenton Jackson giving Carlisle good run too. 

Pacers are 22-of-25 at the line, basically doubling up Cleveland's free-throw attempt number. There's no argument from me, though. Indiana looked for the mismatch underneath all first half. 

Mitchell got Potter GOOD on an ankle breaker and finish, but the Cavs somehow allowed an open shot with a 5-on-4 advantage mere seconds later. Can't explain that...

Cavs with more good closing energy, but with a Mitchell-Schroder-Porter-Ellis-Nance quintet.

END 3Q: Pacers 91, Cavs 90

IND: Potter 19p, 10r, 4a. Toppin 19p, 8r, 2a, stl. Slawson 16p, 4r, 2a, stl. Jackson 13p, 4r, 4a, 2stl.

CLE: Mitchell 26p, 6r, 6a, stl. Harden 21p, 6a, 3r, 3stl. Bryant 12p, 7r, 1a, blk. Ellis 11p, 4r.

FOURTH QUARTER 

The Pacers have seen this version of Downhill Don before.

Momentum is starting to swing here now. Mitchell is getting to the rack at all costs. Nice sequence from Qwan after a Porter stop he helped on to knock down a three in the corner. Cavs up 101-96 with 8:52 left.

Looked like Cleveland was about to go for the heart but some three-point misfires from Strus and Bryant didn't go. The Pacers just got two buckets back. Cavs up 106-100 with 5:21 remaining in regulation.

Donovan Mitchell's balling out in the fourth but it looked like he twisted his right ankle after that last three from the left corner.

Thomas Bryant with a big-time poster over Potter gives the Cavs a 115-102 advantage. Cleveland's just got to be smart with it to get out of here with a W.