The Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers meet Tuesday night in Indianapolis with both teams shorthanded and searching for answers. The headline is simple and stark: Donovan Mitchell will rest for Cleveland, and Tyrese Haliburton remains out for the season in Indiana. Tip is set for 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the 20–17 Cavaliers try to steady the ship against the 6–30 Pacers, who are riding a 12-game losing streak.

This is the third game Mitchell will miss this year. The Cavs are playing every other day through Jan. 16, so the decision to sit their leading scorer is about the long game. As one team prioritizes freshness, the other is still trying to survive the loss of its star point guard and several key rotation pieces.

Cleveland’s injury picture: Mitchell rests, depth tested

Mitchell has been the Cavs’ engine, averaging 29.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.5 steals on 49.7% shooting and 38.8% from deep. Cleveland made it clear there’s no underlying injury. As noted on the team’s January 6 report: “Cleveland has ruled him out for rest … and there is no injury involved in the decision.”

That puts the spotlight on Darius Garland, who comes in at 17.0 points and 6.9 assists per game, and Evan Mobley, averaging 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds. Both will need to shoulder more scoring and creation. Expect Mobley to see more touches at the elbow and in the post, where he can both score and pass.

• Donovan Mitchell: OUT (Rest)
• Larry Nance Jr.: OUT (Right calf strain)
• Max Strus: OUT (Left foot surgery recovery)
• Chris Livingston: OUT (G League assignment)
• Luke Travers: OUT (G League assignment)
• Jarrett Allen: QUESTIONABLE/PROBABLE (Illness)
• Dean Wade: QUESTIONABLE/PROBABLE (Left knee contusion)
• Jaylon Tyson: QUESTIONABLE (Illness)

Head coach Kenny Atkinson recently noted that Dean Wade is “pretty banged up” after a New Year’s Eve collision with Jordan Goodwin in a win over Phoenix. Max Strus is progressing well but won’t be back until a re-evaluation in roughly four weeks. Larry Nance Jr. remains in his 3–4 week recovery window after his Nov. 28 injury.

“If Garland plays like a No. 1, this is still their game.”

Indiana’s reality: Haliburton out, rotation thinned

The Pacers continue to operate without Tyrese Haliburton, the team’s star playmaker, after a right Achilles tendon tear ended his season. That single loss stripped Indiana of pace, spacing, and late-game control. But the list doesn’t stop there.

• Tyrese Haliburton: OUT (Right Achilles tendon tear – season-ending)
• Isaiah Jackson: OUT (Concussion; sidelined since Dec. 22)
• Bennedict Mathurin: OUT (Right thumb sprain; out indefinitely)
• Obi Toppin: OUT (Right foot stress fracture)
• Vince Williams Jr.: QUESTIONABLE (Left patellar tendinitis)

With so many absences, Indiana leans on Pascal Siakam (23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds), Andrew Nembhard (17.0 points, 6.0 assists), and Aaron Nesmith (14.8 points) to carry the scoring and ball-handling. That trio has to set the tone early and keep turnovers low. The Pacers dropped their last game 127–135 to Orlando and need to find structure in half-court sets to stop runs.

“Siakam vs. Mobley might decide it — who controls the paint, wins.”

Form guide and head-to-head: Cavs have the edge

Cleveland has already taken the first two meetings of the season: 120–119 on Nov. 21 and 135–119 on Dec. 1. The Cavs lost 110–114 to Detroit on Jan. 4, a reminder that without full strength and focus, any night can get tricky. Indiana’s 12-game slide underlines how thin the margin is for a team missing its initiator and several rotation bodies.

Even without Mitchell, the Cavs carry more continuity. Garland’s pick-and-roll with Mobley can pressure the rim and create open threes for the wings. If Jarrett Allen is available, Cleveland’s rebounding and rim protection improve, especially against Siakam’s drives.

How Cleveland can create without Mitchell

Mitchell’s shot diet includes pull-up threes and late-clock bailouts. Replacing that is by committee. Look for:

• More Garland usage: Early touch-time, getting to his floater and kick-outs.
• Mobley as a hub: Elbow touches, short-roll passes, and duck-ins.
• Tempo control: Value possessions; avoid live-ball turnovers that fuel Indiana’s fast breaks.

Bench contributions matter here. With Strus out, wing spacing is thinner, so Cleveland needs paint touches and extra passes to find rhythm. If Dean Wade can go, his spot-up shooting and size help balance lineups.

“Twelve straight losses or a reset at home — what’s it going to be?”

What Indiana needs to flip the script

This game is about structure for the Pacers. Without Haliburton, Nembhard must be steady and decisive. Siakam is the first option, but he needs movement around him. Nesmith’s shooting can stretch Cleveland’s defense. If Indiana can win the turnover battle and create second chances, they keep it close late.

• Play through Siakam and Nembhard: Early post-ups and high pick-and-rolls.
• Defensive glass: Limit Mobley and Allen (if available) to one shot.
• Bench spark: Any instant offense helps break scoring droughts.

Schedule pressure and stakes

The Cavs’ schedule is packed: games every other day until Jan. 16, with Minnesota up next on Thursday. Resting Mitchell now is a bet on freshness for a tougher stretch ahead. For Indiana, the stakes are simpler: stop the slide. Ending a 12-game losing streak at home could be a spark for the locker room and give young players confidence.

Bottom line

On paper, Cleveland holds the advantage even without Mitchell, thanks to Garland and Mobley’s steady production and the potential return of key role players listed as probable. Indiana’s path is narrow but clear: control the glass, value the ball, and let Siakam and Nembhard set the pace.

Both teams are bruised. One is resting a star by choice; the other is missing one by force. That contrast shapes the story tonight in Indianapolis — and could define the first quarter as much as the last five minutes.