Indiana
Beating Cleveland Cavaliers Has Indiana Pacers Thinking Big With Goals
CLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 13: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers shoots the ball against Jarrett … More
CLEVELAND – It wasn’t long ago that the Indiana Pacers were simply happy to be in this position.
Last May – May 19, 2024, specifically – the Pacers beat the New York Knicks in Game 7 to advance to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. It was, and is, a big deal that Indiana won that game. Any trip to the final conference round is significant. But the Pacers had more of a happy-to-be-there vibe last season, and in hindsight they’ll admit it.
“Last year was more new for us. So we were all kind of just excited, and maybe too complacent, to be here,” Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard said of that 2024 run on Tuesday. Then, he looked forward. “I think now we want to push the limit and see what we can do.”
The now that Nembhard is referring to is the upcoming challenge for the Pacers. They are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals again – they dispatched the Cleveland Cavaliers in a five-game series that ended on Tuesday, and they’ll play either the Knicks or Boston Celtics next. Those are two formidable foes, but Indiana is far more experienced than they were at this time last season.
“I think last year, we were just satisfied with being in the playoffs. Everything from there was kind of playing with house money, to be honest with you,” Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton said in April. “This year, I think we have real expectations to do something special as a group. And when I say something special, I mean a championship.”
About one month passed between Haliburton and Nembhard saying essentially the same thing. Indiana has trumpeted the same message top-to-bottom since the regular season ended – they feel like they can make a run this season, and their dismantling of the Cavaliers shows that they could be right.
Cleveland won 64 games in the regular season. Most analysts picked them to win the series. The Cavs swept the Miami Heat in the first round with wonderful offense and appeared to be riding a high heading into the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
That’s where they met the Pacers, a 50-win team that combines physicality and pace in a way that few others can. The Cavs knew, and stated, that preparing for that style is difficult. It can’t be simulated in a practice setting. But the East’s top-seeded squad still carried around confidence that they could beat the Pacers in a seven-game set. After winning 64 times out of 82, then four in a row to open the postseason, their attitude was justifiable.
But they weren’t ready for Indiana. The Pacers physicality became a story early in the series, something Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson addressed on multiple occasions. Meanwhile, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, meanwhile, smiled that his team was described as physical by an opponent. It hasn’t always been what the blue and gold are known for, but they are gaining a reputation.
In Game 1, the Pacers did what they do best and generated wide-open jump shots. They made a ton of them in a key win, setting the tone for the best-of-seven set. The Cavs needed to respond, but they weren’t able to in Game 2 as Haliburton pulled off perhaps the best sequence of his playoff career.
It was clear by that point that a gap between the Pacers and Cavs didn’t really exist. If there was one, it favored Indiana. Cleveland was dealing with some injuries and missing jumpers, but the fourth-seeded Pacers were forcing them into tougher-than-usual shots and playing a demanding style to perfection. The East’s top team was often the group responding and making tweaks.
That isn’t how a second-round series is supposed to go. The Pacers aren’t the typical 50-32 team – they are 42-16 since January 1 (playoffs included) – but 64-win rosters almost never get eliminated before the Conference Finals. There’s a reason few experts picked Indiana to win despite their strong run of form in 2025: the Cavaliers had been excellent.
In fact, prior to this year’s NBA playoffs, only three teams that won 64+ games in a season didn’t make it to the conference finals at all – the 2021-22 Phoenix Suns, the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs, and the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks. It’s possible that the Oklahoma City Thunder join this group on Sunday, but it’s still a small collection.
Yet the Pacers won the series. And it wasn’t close. They rolled right through the Cavaliers in five games, taking the series 4-1 to advance to their second-consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. Game 3 was a struggle for the Pacers, but they met the needed level in the quartet of other outings.
“We’re a close team. Every time everybody doubts us, we just clash together and just figure out a way,” Pacers center Thomas Bryant said. “You’ve got to show real love around here and this team has real love between each other.”
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, left, and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell greet … More
Why do the Pacers have so much belief they can make a run?
It wasn’t just that Indiana beat Cleveland, it’s also the ease at which they did it. Game 3 was rough for the Pacers, as was the first quarter of Game 5 and the third quarter of Game 1. Basically every other moment in the series tipped toward the Pacers. The tempo and strategies all favored the blue and gold, and they never let up.
That’s why Indiana’s offense was so effective for the second-straight series. Their style is tough to deal with. The blue and gold have the best postseason offensive rating of the team’s still alive in the playoffs and scored with ease against the Cavs after doing the same to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.
That’s why the best-of-seven set ended in five games, and the road team came away with the series victory. The previous three teams that were eliminated before the conference finals despite winning at least 64 games lasted until at least Game 6 in their final series. The Cavs couldn’t even get that far against the Pacers.
The combination of great results and added experience has the Pacers buzzing about their chances going forward. They have over a week off before their next series begins, and they’re confident they can win it. After beating the Cavs in Game 5, the team was amped in the locker room. They could be heard celebrating from far down the hallway in Rocket Arena. Later, music blasted as they smiled through their one night of celebration before getting ready for the next round.
Fittingly, though, one of the songs played in the locker room was “On to the Next One” by Jay-Z. The Pacers are on to the next round, and there is internal belief they can keep going even beyond that.
“We’re talking about eight more wins for an NBA championship. The league is wide open this year,” Carlisle said after this team won Game 5. “There are a lot of great teams, but it’s wide open. And we’ve just got to keep believing.”
That belief was obvious in the final win against Cleveland. The Cavaliers took a 44-25 lead in the second quarter and were on track to roll over the Pacers in Game 5. It would have been easy for Indiana to give up and use their upcoming home game in the series as a crutch.
Instead, they battled back. Haliburton hit five huge threes in the second quarter, and other role players found the bottom of the net. As shots went in, the energy level grew. Suddenly, the Pacers defense was better, too, and they were down by just four points at halftime.
Early in the third frame, the Pacers took a 65-64 lead and never looked back on their way to a 114-105 win. Everyone filled a key role in the second half as the blue and gold won in Cleveland for the third time of the series.
They believed, even at the low point of a 19-point deficit, that they could come back and win. Haliburton led the way, but it was a total team effort. And that team is knocking on the door of a Finals appearance and wondering, “why not us?”
“We’re different than every other team in the NBA. We don’t just have one guy who scores all the points. We defeat teams in different ways,” Haliburton said after the win.
The Celtics are without superstar Jayson Tatum for the rest of the playoffs. The Knicks are great but only finished with one more win than the Pacers this season – and Indiana beat New York in the second-round last year.
The Knicks are a new-look team, and the Celtics have other stars. But after crushing the Cavs and gaining a ton of experience last year, the Pacers see a path to getting eight more wins. So far, they’ve backed up all their talk. Doing so on the next stage, a larger one, will be their biggest test yet. But they’ve met every single one with victories so far in the playoffs and can do it again.
CLOVERDALE, Ind. (WKRC) – Authorities in Indiana found a semi trailer loaded up with hundreds of pounds of suspected cocaine.
According to a statement issued by the Indiana State Police (ISP), 27-year-old Harmandeep Singh of Bakersfield, California was taken into custody after nearly 400 pounds of suspected cocaine were reportedly found in the trailer of a commercial truck.
Per the statement, an ISP trooper seized the suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Putnam County, authorities said.
The stop occurred Tuesday morning near the 37-mile marker, just east of Cloverdale, after a commercial motor vehicle was observed exceeding the posted speed limit.
Police said Singh displayed several indicators of possible criminal activity during the encounter. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers discovered multiple duffel bags and cardboard boxes in the trailer containing approximately 392 pounds (178 kilograms) of suspected cocaine.
Authorities estimated the street value of the drugs at about $9 million.
Singh was taken into custody and taken to the Putnam County Jail, where he is being held on a $30,000 cash bond.
He faces the following preliminary charges, per the post:
- Possession of a narcotic drug
Formal charges will be determined by the Putnam County prosecutor.
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Indiana State Police said drug interdiction remains a priority, with troopers focusing on major highways to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into the state.
For many Hoosiers living in rural Indiana, accessing health care can mean driving 30 minutes or even an hour to see a doctor or reach the nearest hospital. As workforce shortages and financial pressures challenge rural hospitals across the country, ensuring access to care close to home has become one of the most important health-care issues facing our state.
About one in four Indiana residents live in a rural community, yet access to health-care services in many of these communities continues to shrink. Across the nation, rural hospitals and clinics report extremely thin operating margins and often say workforce shortages and rising costs make it difficult to sustain services such as primary care, maternity care and behavioral health.
When rural communities struggle to maintain health-care access, the impact doesn’t stay confined to small towns. It ripples across the entire health-care system, contributing to increases in chronic conditions, reduced preventative care for children, and worsening outcomes for the sickest patients.
Communities such as Greater Lafayette serve as a regional hub for care, with hospitals like IU Health Arnett caring for patients from surrounding counties across north-central and west-central Indiana. That role is something we are proud to fulfill. But when rural residents must travel long distances for care that should be available closer to home, it places increasing pressure on emergency departments, specialty clinics and inpatient services at larger regional hospitals.
In many cases, what might have been a routine appointment, preventive screening or early diagnosis in a local clinic becomes far more serious by the time a patient reaches a larger hospital. A missed screening can escalate into a medical emergency.
That reality makes strengthening rural health care more important than ever — not just for rural communities, but for the health of the entire state.
One of the most important steps we can take is investing in the next generation of health-care professionals who will care for these communities.
At IU Health, we are working directly with local schools and community partners to help build that workforce pipeline. Across the region, IU Health has partnered with the Greater Lafayette Career Academy and area school districts to introduce students to health-care careers earlier and provide hands-on learning opportunities that bring those careers to life.
Through these programs, students explore health-care pathways and earn certifications such as certified nursing assistant, medical assistant or emergency medical technician while still in high school. Many participate in job shadowing opportunities, clinical experiences and mentorship programs, giving them valuable exposure to the field before they graduate. In fact, since the first cohort in 2023, IU Health has extended job offers to more than 70 students.
The goal is simple but powerful: help students see that meaningful careers in health care exist in their own communities and create pathways that allow them to stay and serve those communities.
For rural health care, this approach is critical. Students who train and develop personal mentorship connections locally are far more likely to remain in the region after completing their education. By helping young people build skills and connections early, we can create a sustainable workforce that strengthens health-care access in both rural communities and regional centers, including Greater Lafayette.
Since launching the $200 million Community Impact Investment Fund in 2018, IU Health has invested more than $40 million in community grants supporting workforce development, education and school-based programs that build Indiana’s health-care talent pipeline. This includes funding for the Indiana Latino Institute, which placed Latino students in health-care internships, supported career pathways, and provided medical interpreter training and college coaching to communities across the state.
Our goal is to make Indiana one of the healthiest states in the nation, and this is one way we work toward that in partnership with our communities.
But workforce development is only part of the solution.
Strengthening rural health care will also require continued collaboration between health-care providers, educators, community leaders and policymakers. Expanding telehealth access, supporting rural hospitals and investing in primary care and behavioral health services are all critical steps toward ensuring patients can receive care close to home.
Greater Lafayette will always play an important role as a regional health-care center, providing specialized care and advanced services for patients across a broad region. But the long-term health of Indiana’s health-care system depends on maintaining strong local access points for care in rural communities.
When rural clinics and hospitals can provide preventive care, manage chronic conditions and connect patients with the services they need early, the entire system works better.
Patients receive care sooner, communities stay healthier and larger hospitals can focus on the complex cases they are designed to treat.
Healthy rural communities do not just benefit the towns where they are. They strengthen Indiana’s entire health-care system by ensuring that every Hoosier — no matter where they live — has access to the care and resources they need to live healthier lives.
When rural health care succeeds, all of Indiana benefits.
Gary Henriott is a lifelong resident of Lafayette and the retired CEO and Chairman of Henriott Group. He is the chair of the IU Health West Region board of directors and the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network, and president of Lafayette’s Board of Public Works and Safety.
INDIANAPOLIS (WKRC) — An Indianapolis mother is now facing criminal charges after her 2-month-old baby died in an apparent improper co-sleeping environment, according to investigators.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by FOX 59/CBS 4, police were called to an area hospital on Sept. 19, 2024, following the death of 27-year-old Brooklyn Davis’ son. The boy had been found unresponsive in his family’s home early that morning, and Davis attempted CPR before he was rushed to the hospital.
The affidavit says the boy had been sleeping on Davis’ bed with his 6-year-old brother. Davis later showed investigators a video showing the baby sleeping chest down on the 6-year-old’s chest.
An autopsy concluded the baby’s cause of death was “sudden explained death of an infant” with an intrinsic factor, which included being “placed to sleep in a queen-sized mattress being shared with a 6-year-old sibling, along with numerous blankets and other miscellaneous items; discovered unresponsive in a prone position with his face turned to the side and partially covered with a blanket.”
A report from the Department of Child Services (DCS) indicated the boy had no known health issues and that Davis ran an FSSA-licensed day care and has “extensive training on child care and safe sleeping environments.”
Davis had been known to DCS prior to the baby’s death. The boy had been born marijuana-positive and, on July 2, 2024, Davis had reportedly signed a “Safe Sleep Safety Plan,” acknowledging she understood that the safest places for her baby to sleep were in a crib, pack-and-play or bassinet and warned that co-sleeping places the baby at risk of suffocation and sleeping areas should be kept free of blankets, pillows and other items. The plan also included a provision that Davis not use marijuana while caring for her children, but she told investigators during an interview that, the morning of her baby’s death, she had gone downstairs to smoke marijuana and left the children alone upstairs.
Davis’ two other children were removed from the home, and interviews with them revealed that co-sleeping with the infant happened often.
Investigators say they attempted to contact Davis several times after talking to her children.
“She called me on February 18, 2025, and said she didn’t do anything wrong, her baby died of SIDS,” the detective wrote in the affidavit. “Brooklyn never came in for an additional interview.”
Court records indicate the case was filed in March 2026. Davis was booked into jail on April 1 on three counts of neglect of a dependent. An initial hearing was held on April 7, and a bail review hearing is planned for Monday.
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