Mobley, Love help Cavaliers rally past Pacers 108-104

Updated Jan. 2, 2022 9:03 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Evan Mobley had 24 points and nine rebounds, Kevin Love scored 20 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 108-104 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.

Jarrett Allen scored 18 points and Lamar Stevens added a season-high 15 for Cleveland, which trailed 84-73 in the third quarter before going on a 17-0 run to take the lead for good. Love scored eight points in a row during the surge.

Domantas Sabonis had 32 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Pacers, and rookie Duane Washington Jr. scored a season-high 20 points. Indiana has dropped four straight overall and hasn’t won on the road since Nov. 22 in Chicago.

Washington drained a 3-pointer with eight seconds left to pull Indiana within 3, 107-104, but Brandon Goodwin split a pair of free throws to restore the Cavaliers’ two-possession lead. Cleveland made 7 of 12 foul shots in the fourth quarter.

Allen also grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots, while the recently signed Goodwin had seven points and five assists. Cleveland lost shooting guard Isaac Okoro to a left elbow injury due to a pick by Sabonis on a screen.

Sabonis made three 3-pointers and scored 16 points in a 28-15 run to start the second half, giving Indiana an 84-73 lead. There were 12 lead changes and 11 ties in the first half, and 16 total traded leads and 15 ties.

Justin Holiday scored 18 points on six 3-pointers, and 28-year-old rookie Keifer Sykes had 10 points and five assists in his first start for Indiana. Sykes played professionally in South Korea, Turkey, Italy, China, Greece and Australia before signing with the Pacers on Dec. 27.

Pacers guard Caris LeVert and center Goga Bitadze were added to the NBA’s health and safety protocols earlier in the day. They have seven players in the COVID-19 program, including Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte and Jeremy Lamb.

HOMECOMING

Pacers guard Lance Stephenson signed a 10-day contract Saturday, one day after playing for the Atlanta Hawks in their 121-118 win in Cleveland. Stephenson, who is in his third stint with Indiana, was out of the NBA for two years before joining Atlanta on Dec. 22. “He’s worked incredibly hard for this opportunity, coming back first to the G League (with Grand Rapids),” coach Rick Carlisle said. “I know he’s going to go at it full bore.”

TIP-INS

Pacers: No event was scheduled at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday, allowing Indiana to hold a practice after arriving in Cleveland. “We went through some defensive stuff, offense and defensive stuff again,” coach Rick Carlisle said. … F Justin Anderson, who previously played for Carlisle in Dallas, appeared in three games with the Cavaliers before signing a 10-day contract Saturday. ... Indiana has the second-worst road record in the Eastern Conference at 3-14. It has lost five in a row on the road and is 2-7 in its last nine overall.

Cavaliers: G Darius Garland and F Cedi Osman remain in the COVID-19 protocols. Top scorer Garland missed his fourth straight game, while backup swingman Osman has sat out five in a row. … G Kevin Pangos made his third consecutive start at the point. The 28-year-old rookie spent the last six seasons playing in Europe. “Kevin has seen a lot and the moments aren’t too big for him,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

UP NEXT

Pacers: Visit New York on Tuesday night.

Cavaliers: Host Memphis on Tuesday night.

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