Indiana Pacers Team Report - March 15

(Basketball News) - The Indiana Pacers lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 107-104, on Sunday at Gund Arena.

Indiana, which maintains a comfortable lead atop the East, was led by Jermaine O’Neal’s 32 points and 12 rebounds. Ron Artest added 21 points for the Pacers, who had a seven-game winning streak snapped.

The Pacers were behind by six points midway through the fourth quarter after Kevin Ollie gave Cleveland a 100-94 lead with a three-pointer.

Indiana then used a 10-4 burst after that to tie the game, pulling even at 104 on Artest’s bucket with 1:30 to play. But Zydrunas Ilgauskas restored Cleveland’s advantage with two free throws at the other end, and Jeff McInnis added a foul shot after that to give the Cavs their final margin.

Jamal Tinsley and Artest both missed three-pointers before the buzzer for Indiana, which fell for the first time in four meetings with the Cavs this season.

The Pacers are off until Wednesday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers. Earlier this season, Indiana lost to the Blazers, 97-95, in double-overtime at the Rose Garden.

O’Neal has averaged 22.4 points and 9.9 rebounds in his last 10 games.