Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said that "the winning team writes the script" after reaching the Eastern Conference semi-finals following victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The Pacers' 114-105 victory over the Cavaliers in Game 5 on Tuesday saw them down the top-seeded team and reach the finals once again. 

Indiana became the first team since seeding began in 1984 to reach the conference finals in consecutive years as a fourth seed or lower both times. 

The Pacers will await the winner of the matchup between the reigning champions Boston Celtics and the third-seeded New York Knicks. 

Carlisle lauded his team for their fighting spirit against a top team, having found themselves 19 points down in the second quarter. 

"The winning team writes the script," he said. "I have to give our guys credit; they earned this.

"This was one of the best teams in the league. I'm sorry their season had to end like this. They had the perfect season, and we came along and were hot at the right time.

"This first half was not good or fun. We got things back on course in the second quarter and then we just kept working the game and wearing them down."

BACK-TO-BACK EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS. pic.twitter.com/BEcMzxcqRc

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 14, 2025

Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points and Pascal Siakam added 21 for the Pacers, who overcame Donovan Mitchell's 35 points for the Cavaliers. 

The top-seeded Cavs swept their first-round series against the Miami Heat but were unable to contend with the Pacers over their five matches. 

They won all three games at Cleveland's Rocket Arena. It was the first time since a first-round series against Boston in 2005 that they won three road games in a playoff series.

"We were not favoured in one game. The lowest point spread was 5.5. That was something that fuelled our guys too," Carlisle added. 

Cleveland had a 44-25 lead with 8:10 remaining in the second quarter, but Haliburton had five of his six 3-pointers in the period as the Pacers got within 56-52 at halftime.

"We didn't panic after that rough start to the first quarter. We talked about how we knew that they were going to throw a haymaker there," Haliburton said.

"But I thought we weathered the storm the right way and got going from there."