Indiana
Final Score: Cleveland Cavaliers take down Indiana Pacers 129-120
The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business in one of their most important games of the season, knocking down the Indiana Pacers to clinch a spot in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Nightly Notables
Where would this season have gone without Jarrett Allen? I don’t want to know.
Allen recorded his 42nd double-double of the season behind a 29-point, 13-rebound effort. He was a force of nature on the glass and relentlessly rolled his way to the rim. Allen’s presence in the paint helped Cleveland control the game for most of the night.
Donovan Mitchell increasingly looks like his usual self, pouring in a game-high 33 points tonight. His knee is a lingering concern, but Mitchell appears to be making progress as he was more spry tonight than in recent games.
Caris LeVert was also good off of the Cavs bench. He scored 16 points, snagged 6 rebounds and dealt 5 assists in an all-around sound performance.
However, when the game was hanging in the balance, it was Darius Garland who delivered. Garland wasn’t at his best through three quarters. But down the stretch, Garland buried multiple backbreakers to close the deal. Garland finished shooting 4-5 from downtown.
Well, that happened…
It’s been a season full of adversity for Garland — especially, at the end of games. That’s why this clutch three-pointer to put Cleveland in the diver’s seat was such a big moment for Garland.
Hopefully, some of this momentum can carry over into the playoffs.
Big Picture
Don’t ask me to break down the Eastern Conference standings. It’s too complicated of a mess. All I can assure you is that with this victory, the Cavaliers have avoided the Play-In Tournament and will compete in the playoffs again this season.
Their final game is on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets. By then, the Cavs will know which opponent they will face in the postseason. All of it comes down to this — the success of this current season will be entirely determined by how they compete in the playoffs.
Indiana
‘Foul play’ suspected in death investigation on Indiana-Ohio state line, Wayne County officials say
WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — Police are investigating the death of a person who died in the emergency department of Reid Health in Richmond.
Wayne County Coroner Brent Meadows was notified of the death Wednesday evening, according to a media release. Evidence has reportedly indicated that foul play is involved.
Officials believe the incident may have occurred in the area of the Petro Travel Center in New Paris, Ohio, just across the Indiana-Ohio state line.
The coroner’s office said the deceased person has been transported to the Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, for a forensic autopsy and identification.
The office is still working the locate and identify the victim’s family.
This remains an active investigation.
News 8’s Michaela Springer contributed to this report.
Braden Smith spent four seasons with Purdue basketball proving all the power conference programs who overlooked him missed out.
Now the former Boilermaker point guard has a chance to do the same in the NBA.
Smith, a Westfield native, is headed to the Pacers after Indiana traded for him when the Chicago Bulls selected him with the 38th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a source confirmed to IndyStar.
Smith is Purdue’s third draft pick in five years, joining lottery picks Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey among a group of now 11 NBA draft selections to play at Purdue under Matt Painter.
Here’s a look at Smith’s Purdue career and what he brings to the Pacers.
Before capping a career that includes two Big Ten regular season and two Big Ten Tournament championships, along with helping Purdue end a 44-year Final Four drought, Smith broke former Duke guard Bobby Hurley’s all-time NCAA assists record.
Along the way, Smith took home the 2025 Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s top point guard in a season where he also was the Big Ten Player of the Year. A two-time consensus first-team All-American, Smith finished his Purdue career eighth in career points (1,932), third in steals (249) and has the top three assist seasons in school history that helped add to his NCAA record total of 1,103.
Smith’s knock is his 5-foot-10 1/2 height measurement, but that didn’t deter him from being one of college basketball’s top players.
What Smith lacked in height, he made up for in basketball IQ. He’s lethal with a midrange jump shot and showcased an unblockable fadeaway that allowed him to shoot over lengthier defenders. He mastered manipulating defenses while playing with marquee big men the last four seasons.
His role in the NBA likely will be not require him to be the team’s primary playmaker immediately. Smith’s awareness of that fact pushed a more defensive-minded approach in preparation for the next level. At the NBA Draft Combine in May, Smith showed he’s capable of defending elite guards.
Smith is an elite competitor who never showed to shy away from the dirty work, which is something that can help him earn NBA minutes as a rookie while trying to find his footing in an unfamiliar backup role.
Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar’s Boilermakers newsletter.
The body of a 13-year-old boy was recovered from Lake Michigan during a multiple-day search near a beach in Michigan City, Indiana.
Officials did not provide further details.
A search has been underway since Monday night after witnesses reported seeing a child wearing red shorts enter the water.
Michigan City police said officers responded to a possible drowning just before 5:40 p.m. on Monday near Washington Park Beach.
Police said the child disappeared underwater just south of the lighthouse and did not resurface.
A search was initiated with dive efforts, a fishing boat, drone technology, and a medical helicopter deployed.
The Michigan City Fire Department said three divers suffered minor injuries during the search and are being treated at Franciscan Health. Fire officials said divers encountered “challenging water conditions” before the search was suspended.
Officials have not identified the body recovered.
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