Guard Isaac Okoro scored 16 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 107-104 Saturday night in a preseason game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The fifth overall pick from Auburn made the game-winning layup with three-tenths of a second remaining and sank the ensuing free throw. Okoro hit all five of his fourth-quarter field goals and 6 of 9 for the game in playing 33 minutes.
Cedi Osman, battling Okoro for a starting job, led the Cavs with 23 points and five rebounds. Darius Garland contributed 14 points, Damyean Dotson had 12 points, Thon Maker had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Larry Nance Jr. added seven points and 10 rebounds.
Domantas Sabonis scored 16 points with 13 rebounds for the Pacers, and Malcolm Brogdon had 16 points, hitting 6 of 10 from the field.
The preseason opener for both teams was marred by turnovers, with the Cavs committing 27 and the Pacers 24.
The Cavs were playing their first game since March 10, the day before the NBA’s COVID-19 shutdown. They were one of the eight teams not invited to the league’s Orlando restart, but held minibubble workouts in Cleveland in September.
The Cavs have three preseason games remaining before the regular-season opener Dec. 23 at home against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Cavs were without guards Collin Sexton (sprained right ankle), Kevin Porter Jr. (personal reasons) and Charles Matthews (sore right knee) and center JaVale McGee. Sexton was held out as a precaution after he twisted his ankle Wednesday. Porter, dealing with his arrest on a weapons charge stemming from a Nov. 15 single-car accident, practiced with the team for the first time Thursday.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said McGee, acquired in a Nov. 22 trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, joined the team Saturday, but did not participate in shootaround. His arrival was delayed by COVID-19 protocols and California restrictions. Bickerstaff said he would not rush McGee into playing in one of the Cavs’ four preseason games.
