The Indiana Pacers will travel to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in a game that holds significant importance for the postseason seeding within the Eastern Conference on Friday. These two rivals from the Central Division will meet for the final time in the regular season.

In the second-to-last game for both teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers, currently in fourth place with a record of 47-33, hold a slim one-game lead over the fifth-placed Indiana Pacers at 46-34.

The Pacers are tied with the Orlando Magic for the same record, but the Magic hold a head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over the Pacers.

Friday’s victor in Cleveland will bring their magic number to zero, securing a spot above the play-in tournament for teams ranking from seventh to tenth.

Seeking their first playoff appearance since 2020, the Pacers are currently playing exceptional basketball. They have won five of their last six games, and the team’s high-scoring offense is a key factor in their success.

In their recent victory over the Raptors, they scored 140 points, led by Tyrese Haliburton‘s 30 points and Obi Toppin‘s 23 off the bench, showcasing their offensive firepower.

“We had a slow start, which wasn’t good,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “We got things back together and the bench was a big part of it.”

Another one of those Pacer bench contributors was rookie Ben Sheppard, who chipped in eight of his 11 points in the second half.

“He had a couple of huge shots, and one against the shot clock in the second half, which was enormous,” Carlisle said of Sheppard. “We know that he’s going to be able to scramble around defensively and guard different positions.”

“He’s going to do the things in our system that we need, which is to run hard, cut hard and make open shots.”

Sheppard, averaging 4.4 points per game this season, demonstrated his value with key plays and reliable defense for the Pacers.

On the other side, the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell, secured a crucial win over the Grizzlies to halt a three-game losing streak. Mitchell’s standout performance with 29 points, including five 3-pointers, was pivotal in the victory.

“(Donovan) understands the moment,” Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He understands how much his voice means to his teammates.”

“I think tonight he did a great job on both sides of the ball. I thought he performed at a high level, but I thought he used his voice and led at a high level, too.”

The Cavaliers are aiming to overcome their postseason struggles and are looking to even the season series against the Pacers with a win on Friday.