INDIANAPOLIS — The Cavaliers clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs on Tuesday night, so they will be sitting out several of their top players when they meet the Pacers at 7 p.m. Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. That’s good news for the Pacers, who at 48-31 still need a win or a Milwaukee loss to assure themselves of a top-four seed in the East and home-court advantage in the first round.
Guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and forward Evan Mobley — all named All-Stars this year — have all been ruled out for Thursday. The reason given for Mobley is simply “rest” while the Cavaliers list a left ankle sprain for Mitchell and a left great toe sprain for Garland. Guard Max Strus has also been ruled out with a right knee contusion.
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Mitchell, Garland and Mobley are the Cavaliers’ top three leading scorers. Mitchell leads the team with 24.0 points per game followed by Garland’s 20.5 per game and Mobley’s 18.6 per game. Mobley leads the team with 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game and also averages 3.2 assists per game. Garland leads the team with 6.7 assists per game. Mitchell averages 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game and has a chance to be named first-team All-NBA. Strus averages 9.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and shoots 38.4% from beyond the arc.
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The Pacers are mostly healthy outside of center Isaiah Jackson, who has been out since Nov. 1 with a torn Achilles tendon. Guard Ben Sheppard is questionable with a left great toe sprain after missing the last two games, but All-Star forward Pascal Siakam is off the injury report after missing Sunday’s game against the Nuggets and being deemed questionable on Tuesday’s injury report before playing against the Wizards. Sheppard is averaging 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game off the bench this season.
