| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Evan Mobley | OUT | Left calf (injury management) |
| Jarrett Allen | OUT | Right knee (injury management) |
| Sam Merrill | OUT | Left hamstring (injury management) |
| Dean Wade | OUT | Right ankle sprain |
| Jaylon Tyson | OUT | Left great toe bone bruise |
All five remain officially OUT per Fox Sports 1340 WNCO / iHeart injury report, Apr 5 and SI.com, Apr 5, cross-confirmed by USA TODAY SportsbookWire / BetMGM, Apr 5 11:28 AM ET. No upgrades or new scratches since the early run. Allen and Mobley are being explicitly rested for Monday's game in Memphis per SI.com.
No minute restrictions reported for Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Max Strus, Keon Ellis, or Dennis Schröder. All are available and in the projected lineup per Dimers, Apr 5.
Per SI.com projected starters, Apr 5:
| Pos | Player |
|---|---|
| G | Donovan Mitchell |
| G | James Harden |
| F | Max Strus |
| F | Nae'Qwan Tomlin |
| C | Thomas Bryant |
Key lineup note: Nae'Qwan Tomlin slots in as the starting power forward in place of Mobley. This is a significant size downgrade — Tomlin was recently noted as having been out of the regular rotation before the Mobley/Allen rests opened up opportunities (CBS Sports). Bryant starts at center. The early entry speculated this rotation correctly; it is now confirmed. Larry Nance Jr. is the likely first big off the bench per NBA.com.
Cleveland returns home after completing a 3-game West Coast road trip (Utah → LA Lakers → Golden State), finishing April 3 with a 118-111 win at Chase Center (Mitchell 25 pts, Strus 24 pts per Morning Journal, Apr 3). Two full days of rest between the Warriors game (Apr 3) and tonight. No back-to-back.
The spread has moved 2 full points in Cleveland's direction, from -17.5 (opening/T-12h) to -15.5 (T-2h). The total has nudged up from 237.5 to 239.5 (+2 points). The moneyline has compressed from CLE -2500 to -1450/-1600, reflecting two-way market action. This movement strongly suggests sharp money on Indiana +15.5 — the market has absorbed the Mobley/Allen outs and priced in the weakened frontcourt. The Kalshi live market (T-12h) had already shown -15.5, consistent with where books have now settled.
Cleveland clinched its playoff spot with the April 3 win over Golden State. They are 4th in the East, 1.5 games back of the 3rd-place Knicks per USA TODAY, Apr 5. Mobley and Allen are being explicitly rested for Monday's game in Memphis, indicating organizational clarity about rotation management. Mitchell (27.7 PPG season average) has averaged 37.5 points in the three prior games vs. Indiana this season per SI.com — he is expected to be aggressive tonight.
| Date | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 2025 | CLE | CLE 120–109 IND (CLE -13.5, IND covered) |
| Dec 1, 2025 | IND | CLE 135–119 IND (CLE -4.5, CLE covered) |
| Jan 6, 2026 | IND | CLE 120–116 IND (CLE -6.5, IND covered; Mitchell did not play) |
Tonight is the 4th and final regular-season meeting. Cleveland is seeking its first sweep of Indiana since 2021-22 per SI.com.
Confirmed OUT:
Game-Time Decisions:
Expected Starting Lineup (if Sheppard plays, per Fear The Sword): Ben Sheppard, Quenton Jackson, Kobe Brown, Obi Toppin, Jay Huff
Indiana played Friday night (Apr 3) in Charlotte, losing 129-108, and travels to Cleveland on Sunday. Effective 1-day rest on the road. Cleveland had an extra day off after winning at Golden State on Friday.
With Siakam definitively OUT and both primary PGs (Nembhard, McConnell) also out, Indiana has no legitimate offensive creator. The likely scoring load falls on Quenton Jackson (16 pts vs. CHA on Apr 3), Kobe Brown, Jay Huff, and Obi Toppin (probable starter; 10.0 PPG season avg per Predictem.com). Per 1390TheGambler last-20-game stats, Walker leads Indiana at 12.2 PPG over the last 20 games — but he is himself questionable. Indiana ranks 27th in offensive rating (111.1) and 26th in defensive rating (119.7), per Fear The Sword. Cleveland is a decisive mismatch at 118.8 offensive rating (7th) and 114.8 defensive rating (14th).
Indiana (18-59) is competing for draft lottery position and has no playoff incentive. Cleveland (48-29) is fighting for seeding — confirmed motivation disparity. The Pacers are without their only All-Star and both PGs; this is essentially a G-League-caliber roster against a locked-in playoff team.