What's next for the Cleveland Cavaliers after being ELIMINATED by the Pacers in 5 games

Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show

This wasn't supposed to happen. The Cleveland Cavaliers weren't supposed to lose to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 5 games. But here we are. So now what's next? Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle put it best in summing up his team's finishing punch in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "The winning team writes the script," he said. The Pacers' 114-105 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 on Tuesday night was similar to the first two games of the series: Cleveland jumped out to a big first-half lead, but Indiana's quick pace eventually took a toll. "I have to give our guys credit; they earned this," Carlisle said. "This was one of the best teams in the league. I'm sorry their season had to end like this. They had the perfect season, and we came along and were hot at the right time." Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points and Pascal Siakam added 21 as the Pacers reached the conference finals in consecutive years for the first time since 2013 and 2014. Donovan Mitchell, who missed the second half of Sunday's Game 4 due to a sprained left ankle, led Cleveland with 35 points. Evan Mobley added 24 points and 11 rebounds. The Pacers rallied Tuesday from a 19-point deficit in the first half and took control after halftime. They won all three games at Cleveland's Rocket Arena. It was the first time since a 2005 first-round series against the Celtics that the Pacers won three road games in a playoff series. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers dropped three home games in a postseason series for the first time. Cleveland stormed out to a 44-25 lead with 8:10 remaining in the second quarter, but Haliburton had five of his six 3-pointers in the period as the Pacers got within 56-52 at halftime.