Cavaliers 90, Pacers 76

CLEVELAND — Guard Dion Waiters had a game-high 19 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 90-76 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Cavs (30-45) pulled within 2 1/2 games of idle Atlanta (31-41) in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

All five starters scored in double figures for the Cavs, who have won four of their last five games.

All-Star forward Paul George had 15 points and seven rebounds to lead the Pacers (52-22). Power forward David West added 14 points for Indiana, which has lost five of its last seven games.

Things got frisky with 6:52 remaining. After Cavs guard Matthew Dellavedova was called for a foul — even though he was elbowed in the mouth by West. When Cavs center Spencer Hawes stood up to West, the players were given a double technical.

West appeared to grab Hawes by the neck, which drew a flagrant-1 foul. Dellavedova made both technical foul shots.

Power forward Tristan Thompson finished with 12 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the Cavs, who have just seven games remaining in the regular season.

Cavs forward Luol Deng had 15 points and Hawes added 13.

Cleveland’s floor general, Jarrett Jack, had a fine all-around game with 11 points, six rebounds and a game-high nine assists.

The Cavs limited the Pacers to 37.2 percent shooting from the field. Cleveland shot 44.7 percent and outrebounded the Pacers 45-41.

The Cavs led 73-58 after three quarters on the way to snapping a four-game losing streak to the Pacers.

West had 12 points after three quarters.

The Cavs outrebounded Indiana 21-20 in the first half but suffered a big blow when they lost forward-center Anderson Varejao to a strained right shoulder. He finished the first half with six points and six rebounds.

The Cavs closed out the first half on a 14-2 run, which extended their lead to 13 points at 49-36. They held the Pacers to 34.2 percent shooting from the field in the first half.

The Pacers’ two All-Stars — George (1 of 5) and center Roy Hibbert (1 of 4) — combined eight points, five rebounds and zero blocks in the first half.

Waiters had 10 points in the first half, and Jack added eight points, three rebounds and six assists.

Indiana, which has the top record in the Eastern Conference, was limited to 16 points in the second quarter. They made just 7 of 21 shots from the field.

The Cavs shot 55 percent from the field in the first quarter and jumped out to a 25-20 advantage.

Jack and Waiters scored six points each for the Cavs in the first quarter.

NOTES: Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving’s strained left biceps was examined Sunday by doctors. Irving has missed the last eight games, including Sunday against Indiana, and 49 in his three-year career. A Cavs spokesman said there will be more tests done at a later date, perhaps Monday. He said he is not sure any conclusion would be reached Sunday. … Former Cavs C Andrew Bynum did not make the trip to Cleveland. He has played just two games since signing with the Pacers on Feb. 1. He has been shut down, perhaps for the rest of the regular season, with a sore right knee. Asked when Bynum might return, Pacers coach Frank Vogel replied, “As soon as possible. I don’t know when that is. We do hope he’s going to be back.” … Vogel said Pacers G C.J. Watson (strained right hamstring) is about a week from getting back in the lineup. … Cavs G Seth Curry’s 10-day contract expires after the game against Indiana.