The Indiana Pacers emphatically pushed the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers to the brink of playoff elimination with a dominant 129-109 win to take a 3-1 series lead.

Now, the top seed in the Eastern Conference is just a single game away from an early postseason exit.

The Cavaliers are aiming to return to Cleveland tied with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. In a virtual must-win scenario, the Cavs prevailed 126-104 in Game 3, narrowing their deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-seven,