Ever felt like real life is starting to look a lot like NBA 2K on rookie mode? That feeling hit hard today, because what the Indiana Pacers did to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 felt straight out of a video game. By halftime, the scoreboard read 80-39. No, that’s not a typo. A 41-point lead against the team that finished with the second-best record in the entire league this season. Anyone tuning in late likely had to double-check if it was a glitch.

But the shock didn’t end there. The Pacers didn’t just dominate—they made history while doing it.

According to reports, the Pacers have tied for the largest halftime lead in NBA postseason history with their 41-point lead. The other record was held by, ironically, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had a 72-31 advantage against the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals. Before that, the only other 40-plus-point halftime lead in the NBA playoffs was recorded back in 1987, when the Detroit Pistons held a 76-36 advantage over the Washington Bullets. The Detroit Pistons went on to win that game with a 128-85 score.

If this feat wasn’t enough to brag about, the Pacers also set a franchise-postseason record for points in a half (80 PTS) AND an NBA postseason record in assists (25 AST) in a half in the play-by-play era. Seems like Tyrese Haliburton and co are on a mission to prove that there is always a bigger bully on the playground. This time, it’s them, and not the Cavs.

Things could not have gotten worse for Donovan Mitchell and co even if they tried. After all, the Cavaliers had already lost 2 consecutive games at the start of the round 2 playoff series before they could get a win. While the team attempted to catch up to the Pacers in Game 4, they still got defeated by a score of 129-109. On top of that, Donovan Mitchell sustained a left ankle injury during Sunday’s game. The extent of the injury is still unclear, and the player will be getting an MRI on Monday. Nevertheless, there is a feeling now that the season might be over for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

From starting the tournament off with a 15-game win streak to getting eliminated in the 2nd round by the Indiana Pacers is a major downgrade in terms of legacy. Kenny Atkinson might have realized this and now regrets not preparing better for the recent matchup.

Kenny Atkinson takes responsibility for Cavs’ loss despite being aware of Pacers’ prowess: “we didn’t match it”

Kenny Atkinson was in a somber mood during the post-game presser. He had every reason to be, as only a series of miracles can save the Cavaliers’ season now. Game 4 was a crucial matchup, one that could have evened the odds for the team, but the Cavs instead ended up fumbling. Fortunately, the head coach wasn’t willing to make excuses for it.

“They dominated with their force. They raised their game to another level, and we didn’t match it. You know, we talked about it, we knew it was coming,” said Atkinson. “I don’t know. You try to prepare for these things, you try to prepare your guys mentally, but, um, but for whatever reason, they….like I said, they were on another level”.

As ‘Fear the Sword’ reporter Jackson Flickinger highlighted, the Cavs were going too physical in the game. This was something that, as Flickinger revealed, “doesn’t benefit Cleveland. This isn’t how they’ve played all season. It isn’t who they are. The Cavs don’t want to be grabbed, pushed while in the air, or recklessly bowled over while trying to get a rebound”.

Whether it was the nerves or the fear of losing Game 4, the team changed their offensive plays, and it cost them. Now, it remains to be seen whether Kenny Atkinson and co can recover from this, or whether the next game will bring a sad conclusion to one of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ best seasons.