The Cleveland Cavaliers absolutely melted down in their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers and now face a long offseason with a roster currently projected to rise above the second apron.

The Cavaliers have a lot to think about now as they look for better results next season. The loss is still fresh on their minds, including that of Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell spoke to the media on Wednesday and admitted that he had not been to sleep yet, but he had watched the game back twice.

The Indiana Pacers have taken a stranglehold on their second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 3-1 lead. They are in the midst of another improbable playoff run that has been catalyzed by two historic Tyrese Haliburton game winners against Cleveland and over Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Indiana Pacers emphatically pushed the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink of playoff elimination with a dominant 129-109 win to take a 3-1 series lead.

The Pacers are back in the Eastern Conference finals, finishing off the Cavaliers with a 114-105 Game 5 win. Indiana is the only team to make the conference finals as a No. 4 seed or worse in consecutive years since the 1984 playoffs expansion.