Donovan Mitchell scores 38 points, playoff-bound Cavaliers beat Pacers 117-108

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 23 of his 38 points in the second half, James Harden had 28 points and seven assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the injury-plagued Indiana Pacers 117-108 on Sunday night.

Thomas Bryant added 14 points and 10 rebounds in his first start of the season for Cleveland, which didn’t take its initial lead until the third quarter. It went ahead for good early in the fourth at 99-96 on Nae’Qwan Tomlin's 3-pointer, eventually going up by 15.

The playoff-bound Cavaliers (49-29) reduced their magic number for home-court advantage in the first round to one, despite resting their starting frontcourt of Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Sam Merrill. Mitchell made 16 of 27 shots and had six rebounds and six assists in 33 minutes.

Fourth-place Cleveland is four games ahead of Atlanta in the Eastern Conference with four to play. It hosts the Hawks on Wednesday night, then plays at Atlanta on Friday night.

Obi Toppin scored a season-high 21 points with eight rebounds, and Micah Potter had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers (18-60). Two-way forward Jalen Slawson scored a career-best 19 points.

Indiana only had nine players in uniform -- and was missing its top five scorers -- after losing All-Star forward Pascal Siakam (left ankle sprain) and guard Ben Sheppard (right hip sprain) to injuries in its previous game Friday at Charlotte.

The Pacers have the second-worst record in the NBA, one game in front of Washington.

Slawson scored 14 points and had four 3-pointers as the Pacers built a 47-35 advantage early in the second. Indiana made eight threes in the first half.

Indiana carried a 58-55 lead into the break as Potter had 14 points and seven rebounds, while Harden scored 19 and Mitchell had 15 points for the Cavaliers.

Pacers: Host Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Cavaliers: At Memphis on Monday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Indiana Pacers guard Kobe Brown (24) shoots as Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden, left, defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Indiana Pacers forward Jalen Slawson, center, grabs a pass between Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) and guard Max Strus, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) knocks the ball away from Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Indiana Pacers center Micah Potter (11) dunks next to Cleveland Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson (29) is fouled by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler arrived at Augusta National on Sunday, and he brought the whole family with him. All four of them.

Scheffler, who tends to keep his golf separate from his home life, had not shared any information since withdrawing from the Houston Open two weeks ago because of the impending birth of his second child. He said wife Meredith gave birth to a boy on March 27. They named him Remy.

“We just liked it,” Scheffler said about the name. His first son, Bennett, was born in 2024 before the PGA Championship. "We didn’t have very many good boy names, to be honest with you.”

There he was, in a stroller Meredith was pushing under the famous oak tree by the clubhouse, 9 days old and already at his first Masters.

It added to the sights rarely seen anywhere else on the Sunday before a major. That holds true with so much about the Masters.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy has been at the club all weekend, watching the Augusta National Women's Amateur on Saturday and handing out trophies to a group of boys in the annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals on Sunday.

McIlroy has talked about how much he looked forward to returning as the Masters champion and enjoying all the perks that go with it. He was in his green jacket during the Drive, Chip and Putt, and posed with Maria Jose Marin, the ANWA winner and first Colombian to join the roll call of Augusta National winners.

Then he headed out to the golf course with his father, Gerry, and Augusta member Jimmy Dunne. Next up is the Masters Club dinner Tuesday and the elaborate menu he has put together.

“It is the most exclusive dinner club in all of sport, and I think we should all feel very fortunate that we are there,” he told Golf Channel after his part in the trophy presentation Sunday. “But we’re there because of the hard work and the good play that we’ve been able to produce.”

He also mentioned two players who won't be at the dinner — Tiger Woods, arrested and briefly jailed for suspicion of driving under the influence during a March 27 car crash, and Phil Mickelson, who is tending to a personal health matter at home.

“Unfortunately, there will be a couple of guys that won’t be in that room, which is a shame, but I want to make sure that they’re acknowledged as well,” McIlroy said. "They’ve been two of the greatest champions that the Masters has ever seen. But it’s going to be a really cool night. I can’t wait. I hope everyone enjoys the dinner and enjoys everything that I’ve selected.”

Bryson DeChambeau also was at Augusta National on Saturday for the end of the ANWA, consoling Asterisk Talley after the 17-year-old hit two shots into Rae's Creek for a quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 12th hole that cost her a chance to win.

DeChambeau grew up about 45 minutes away from where Talley lives in the central valley of California. They know each other well.

“Obviously, I’ve had difficult moments in my career, and if there’s anything I can do to support her, that’s what I’m here for. That’s why I’m here to support,” DeChambeau told reporters Saturday.

He teed off Sunday by himself after the DC&P was over, walking to slap hands and pose for photos with kids and spectators some 100 yards down the right side of the tee. “I've got to go play,” he told them before running to catch up with his caddie. There are exceptions for running at Augusta National.

Also there was Gary Player, the three-time Masters champion who will be hitting the honorary tee shot on Thursday. The Black Knight was on the putting green as the Boys 7-9 division was preparing for its putting competition on the 18th green.

There was 8-year-old Landyn Kelly from Henderson, Nevada, rapping 40-foot putts toward the hole with 90-year-old Player watching with amazement.

“What a touch! What a touch he has, man!” Player exclaimed.

Scheffler took this Sunday to play with Blake Smith, his longtime manager, who had never played Augusta National. Scheffler and McIlroy are fighting some history this week. Adam Scott in 2013 is the last player to win the Masters after having three weeks off.

“I've been practicing,” Scheffler said. “I've been able to do a good amount at home.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Texas Terry hugs his dad Jim, after winning the boys 12-13 bracket in the Drive Chip & Putt National Finals at the Augusta National Golf Club, Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Sophia Eagan lines up a putt in the Drive Chip & Putt National Finals at the Augusta National Golf Club, Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

FILE - Scottie Scheffler walks off the green on the 18th hole during the final round at the Masters golf tournament, Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)