Cavs get version of Darius Garland they need in rallying by Pacers

The Cavaliers flirted with a bad loss. Then Darius Garland slammed the door.

Shorthanded again and down nine in the fourth quarter, Cleveland rallied past the Pacers for a 120-116 road win Tuesday, leaning heavily on Garland when it mattered most.

The Cavs were without Donovan Mitchell (rest), lost Dean Wade to a knee injury in the first half, and got limited juice from Jaylon Tyson, who played through an illness. As has been the case too often this season, the bench minutes were rocky, allowing Indiana to stretch a tight game into a nine-point lead early in the fourth.

That’s when Garland took over.

He poured in 14 points in the final quarter on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting, including 10 straight during the Cavs’ key push. Garland finished with a game-high 29 points on 14-of-23 shooting, added six assists, and committed zero turnovers in 37 minutes. That’s the version Cleveland needs.

Evan Mobley delivered a steady all-around night with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Jarrett Allen chipped in 19 points and eight rebounds and iced the game at the free-throw line in the final seconds. Sam Merrill matched Allen with 19 points, knocking down five triples to keep Cleveland afloat during some uneven stretches.

The final minute was messy. Indiana cut it to one. Cleveland gave the ball back. Free throws flew both ways. But Allen secured the final rebound and calmly closed it out.

For Indiana, Pascal Siakam led the way with 22 points, while Jay Huff added 20 on 7-of-10 shooting. The Pacers have now lost 13 straight, a franchise record.

It wasn’t crisp. It wasn’t comfortable. But without its leading scorer, Cleveland got the one thing it needed.

A win.

The Cavs move to 21-17 and head to Minnesota next, still searching for consistency — but reminded that Garland can carry them when things wobble.