NBA: Haliburton's late 3 stuns Cavs; Curry hurt in Warriors' win

Haliburton scored 11 of his 19 points in the final 12 minutes. After Andrew Nembhard stole an inbounds pass by Cleveland's Max Strus with 27.5 seconds remaining, Indiana tried to find a potential tying 3-pointer before Haliburton drove inside and got fouled.

He made the first free throw but missed the second. Haliburton got the offensive rebound and dribbled out to the 3-point line, where he made it from the top of the key.

Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith led No. 4 seed Indiana with 23 points apiece. It's the first time the Pacers have won the first two games of a playoff series on the road since a 1994 first-round set against Orlando.

Donovan Mitchell scored 48 points for Cleveland, who were missing three key players, including two starters. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley (left ankle) and key reserve De’Andre Hunter (right thumb) were injured in Game 1, while Darius Garland (left big toe) missed his fourth straight postseason game.

Mitchell scored 15 points in the third quarter as the Cavaliers built a 98-81 lead late in the period. But the Pacers rallied back with a 17-6 run to get back in it.

Cleveland looked as though it had some breathing room with 1:06 remaining when Max Strus hit a 3-pointer off an assist by Mitchell to put them up 117-110.

But the Cavs couldn't hold on again as they committed two turnovers and the Pacers had a pair of offensive rebounds that led to points in the final minute. It's the first time Cleveland has dropped its first two at home in the playoffs since 1996 in the first round against the Knicks.

the difference. pic.twitter.com/ijwlZnuYni

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 7, 2025

Buddy Hield and Draymond Green delivered from 3-point range with Golden State star Stephen Curry suddenly sidelined by a hamstring strain, and the Warriors opened the second-round series with an inspired 99-88 victory over the stumbling Timberwolves.

Hield picked up where he left off in the Game 7 win at Houston that finished the first round by scoring 24 points on 5-for-8 3-point shooting.

Jimmy Butler had 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and Green had four first-half 3s on his way to 18 points, as the Warriors used 12 players, plenty of hustle and lockdown defence to overcome the concerning departure of their sharpshooting leader.

The home teams have yet to win in the second round of these NBA playoffs. Minnesota has another chance to get one in Game 2 on Thursday.

The big question: Will Curry be available? The league's career-leading 3-point shooter and four-time NBA champion exited early in the second quarter after hitting a 14-footer and grabbing the back of his left leg. The Warriors ruled him out for the remainder of the game soon after that.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr shrewdly sent a zone defence at a Wolves team that went 7 for 47 from 3-point range in a convincing win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Game 5 clincher in the first round, and the bricks piled up even higher after nearly a week off.

The Wolves missed their first 16 shots from 3-point range until they were down by 20 and Naz Reid drained one from the wing with 8:32 left in the third quarter.

Anthony Edwards had 23 points and 14 rebounds after a particularly rough start, finishing 9 for 22 from the floor. Reid had 19 points and Julius Randle added 16 points for the Wolves, who finished 5 for 29 from behind the arc and trailed by 23 points late in the third.