Field Level Media
Mar 3, 2021
T.J. McConnell collected 16 points, 13 assists and a franchise-best 10 steals to lift the visiting Indiana Pacers to a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
McConnell, who made all eight of his shots from the floor, set an NBA record with nine steals in the first half. The league record for steals in a game is 11, shared by the San Antonio Spurs' Larry Kenon (1976) and the New Jersey Nets' Kendall Gill (1999).
Malcolm Brogdon scored 29 points and Domantas Sabonis added 18 for the Pacers, who salvaged the finale of a four-game road trip by snapping a season high-tying four-game losing skid. Indiana has won six of the past seven meetings against Cleveland, including a 119-99 decision on New Year's Eve.
Collin Sexton recorded 32 points and 10 assists for the Cavaliers, who squandered a 17-point lead in the second half and saw their season-high four-game winning streak come to a halt.
Cleveland's Dean Wade and Jarrett Allen each scored 17 points and Darius Garland added 16 before suffering a left groin strain in the third quarter. Garland did not return.
McConnell's 10th steal of the night paved the way for Brogdon's layup to give Indiana a 110-106 lead with 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter. Cleveland closed to within one on a pair of interior shots, but Brogdon sealed the win with two free throws.
Sexton sank a 10-foot shot, a 3-pointer and a pair of mid-range jumpers to push Cleveland's lead to 83-66 with 4:22 remaining in the third quarter. Indiana answered with a 30-12 run to claim a one-point advantage, capped by Edmond Sumner's shot with 6:36 left in the fourth.
Cleveland overcame 18 turnovers and shot a robust 59.5 percent from the floor to secure a 61-51 lead at halftime. The Cavaliers scored 19 of the final 27 points in the second quarter, with Wade draining a pair of 3-pointers during that surge.
Cleveland seized a 24-15 lead with 5:05 in the first quarter before McConnell made his presence known. He made a pair of baskets and recorded five steals to help Indiana forge a tie at 28.
--Field Level Media