Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle ejected vs Cavaliers; officials provide explanation

Carlisle was ejected in the third quarter of the Pacers game on Thursday night

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was ejected from the Indiana Pacers win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

During the third quarter, with the Pacers leading by five, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell pivoted past a Pacers defender, threw himself a pass off the backboard, caught the ball and landed, and then hopped under the basket. The Pacers bench instantly all stood up and made the referee's signal for a travel, but no violation was called. Mitchell then passed the ball to Isaac Okoro for a dunk, and Indiana was displeased.

Rick Carlisle walked toward an official and immediately let him know how he felt about the missed call. A combination of his language and movement led to two quick technical fouls, and Carlisle was ejected from the game.

"I've been on our guys to stay off the referees. Then it was the mortal sin," Carlisle said of the moment during his postgame media availability.

The officials noted in a pool report after the game that Mitchell hopped with the ball, meaning a travel should have been called. Crew Chief James Capers provided the explanation for Carlisle's ejection.

"He aggressively charged in the direction of an official which he received the first technical foul, and it did not dissolve, he continued that act while clapping in the direction and official, he was given a second technical foul," Capers said in the pool report.

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The Cavaliers were on a 5-0 run when Carlisle was tossed, and that run extended to 23-9 by the time it was finished. Cleveland was beginning to take over when the ejection happened, and the Pacers switched who was leading the team from Carlisle to assistant coach Lloyd Pierce.

After that 23-9 run, though, Pierce pushed all the right buttons. He brought in Myles Turner to slow the Cavs. A few minutes later, he subbed in Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton just in time for the Pacers to mount a comeback. The Pacers dominated the final 10 minutes 37-20 to win the game.

"Most of the credit goes to this coaching staff and the players," Carlisle said after the game. He let Pierce field questions about the game and the team's victory, and some Pacers players noted that they were giving Carlisle a hard time in the locker room since he always preaches staying composed.

At that moment, he was far from composed. It was the second time that Carlisle was ejected in a game this season, the first happening in Houston back in November. The Pacers are 19-17 and play their final game of 2022 on Saturday.

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