The Indiana Pacers secured a commanding 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a convincing 129-109 victory over the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. This win was highlighted by an impressive first half, where the Pacers tied an NBA playoff record by establishing a 41-point lead.
Key Highlights
- Record Lead: The Pacers took a significant 80-39 lead at halftime, showcasing their dominance throughout the game.
- Pascal Siakam’s Performance: Siakam led Indiana with 21 points, contributing significantly to the team’s insurmountable margin.
- Bennedict Mathurin’s Ejection: Despite the absence of top scorer Bennedict Mathurin, who was ejected just seven-and-a-half minutes into the game for a flagrant foul, Indiana’s offense remained relentless.
Cleveland’s Struggles
- Darius Garland: Garland paced Cleveland with 21 points but struggled to rally his team against Indiana’s onslaught.
- Donovan Mitchell: Mitchell added 17 points but was limited to just half the game due to a left ankle injury, which will require further evaluation through an MRI exam on Monday.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the challenge posed by the Pacers, stating, "It was tough to come back from" the significant lead. He also noted that his team struggled to dominate the glass and that two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton was held to just four points and five assists.
The Pacers’ performance sets the stage for a potential series clincher in the upcoming game.
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
