Behind unlikely cast, Pacers stage largest comeback in franchise history to earn 50th victory

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rick Carlisle described Indiana’s first 81 games as eventful before his Pacers took on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday in the regular-season finale.

Game 82 will go down as momentous.

Indiana staged the biggest comeback in team history, erasing a 27-point deficit for a 126-118 victory in double overtime.

It also gave the Pacers 50 wins for the 10th time in franchise history, but first since the 2013-14 season.

“Certainly proud of the group that finished the game. They showed so much courage and fortitude, it was amazing,” the Indiana coach said. “Because of those guys, we have a 50-win season, which is something to really be proud of.

“Everyone kept saying to hang in and get a chance. These guys were inspirational.”

Indiana’s previous biggest comeback was a 112-104 victory over Detroit on March 15, 2014, after it trailed by 25.

It’s also the biggest comeback win in the NBA this season, eclipsing 26-point rallies by the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics.

Since it was the final regular-season game and the Pacers were locked into the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference for the upcoming playoffs, Carlisle didn’t play four of his regular rotation players, including two starters.

For the starters and major role guys that did play, their day was done at halftime.

With Indiana trailing 94-73 with 8:05 remaining in regulation, Carlisle put in three two-way contract players, a rookie and a center who initially joined the team on a 10-day contract in March.

That group ended up turning things around.

Over the game’s final 18:05, Indiana’s Quenton Jackson, Enrique Freeman, RayJ Dennis, Tony Bradley and Johnny Furphy outscored Cleveland 53-24, shooting 19 of 43 from the field. The Pacers outrebouded the Cavaliers by nine and committed only two turnovers.

“I felt the whole time we can get it done,” said Jackson, who scored 15 of his team-high 21 points down the stretch. “I think we all did a good job of stepping up, accepting the challenge and then locking them down.”

In the locker room after the game, Carlisle ended up calling up the group that finished the game so they could be saluted by teammates.

Cleveland — which wrapped up the Eastern Conference’s top seed last Tuesday — sat out nine of its regular rotation players, including four starters. They suited up only 11 players and ended up playing nine.

Jarrett Allen was the only Cavaliers starter to see playing time, and that lasted all of 41 seconds.

Carlisle, who ended up playing 12 players Sunday, thought the Pacers’ depth was an important factor.

“Our guys were tired, but we were fresher,” he said. “We started to get some stops, Cleveland started to get tired and there was some momentum. In the second overtime, we outlasted them.”

Since Jackson, Freeman and Dennis are players on two-way contracts between the NBA and G League, they are ineligible to be on the postseason roster.

The thought that this was their final game action this season and to end it on a great note did cross their minds.

“I mean, we’re all competitors. I don’t think guys were happy with the way the game was going,” said Dennis, who had 13 points, including seven in the second overtime. “And just kind of knowing this was our last chance for the season, I think we were ready for our opportunity.”

The Pacers (50-32) have won 13 of their last 16. They are 34-14 since Jan. 2, the fourth-best record in the league over that span.

Indiana will face Milwaukee in the first round. While Carlisle was thrilled with his bench’s resilience, he also knows there is a big challenge ahead.

“We have work to do this week to be prepared. We’ve drawn an opponent that is playing at a really high level,” he said.

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