INDIANAPOLIS — LeBron James finished with 41 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, and the Cleveland Cavaliers set an NBA postseason record by erasing a 25-point halftime deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 119-111 on Thursday night and take a 3-0 lead.

James passed Kobe Bryant for No. 3 on the NBA’s career playoff scoring list and tied another NBA record by winning his 20th consecutive first-round game.

The incredible rally ruined Paul George’s big night. He had 36 points, a playoff career-high 15 rebounds and nine assists.

Cleveland trailed by 26 in the first half and was still down 74-49 at halftime. The largest halftime deficit overcome to win a playoff game had been 21 points.

James scored 13 points in the third quarter to get the Cavs within 91-84. Cleveland regained the lead twice during a 15-5 fourth-quarter run and closed it out with a 12-5 spurt.

BUCKS 104, RAPTORS 77: Khris Middleton scored 20 points and Milwaukee overwhelmed cold-shooting Toronto to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

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Greg Monroe added 16 points and seven rebounds for the Bucks, who held DeMar DeRozan without a basket and never looked back against the visiting Raptors after leading by 20 points after the first quarter.

Game 4 is Saturday at the Bradley Center.

NOTES

JAZZ: Rudy Gobert will not play Friday night in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers after hyperextending his left knee and suffering a bone contusion in the series opener.

The 7-foot-1 Frenchman went down 17 seconds into Game 1 when he knocked knees with Luc Mbah a Moute on the first possession of the game, which the Jazz won 97-95. The series is tied, 1-1.

Gobert is a defensive player of the year candidate after he led the league in blocks.


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