Bennedict Mathurin wasn’t able to help his Indiana Pacers much on Sunday.
It wasn’t because he was injured or had a bad game, but because he was ejected in the first quarter of Game 4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Following the ejection and the win, head coach Rick Carlisle spoke about the incident with Mathurin.
“Whatever happened, happened. [Bennedict Mathurin] will accept the ejection [and] whatever else happens from it,” Carlisle said of Mathurin following the game. “We just got to move forward. It is a learning experience for him. Playoff series are physical. They’re chippy. They’re personal. And we got to stay out of the weeds of things that take us away from what we do best.”
Mathurin was given a flagrant foul 2 after hitting De’Andre Hunter in his stomach with a closed fist.
In response, Hunter then shoved Mathurin to the ground.
Both players got technical fouls, but then Mathurin received his flagrant 2 after an official review.
It feels like there is no love lost between these two players, and they might have a few more “chippy” moments in the games ahead.
Carlisle said that Mathurin can learn from this moment.
Although it’s understandable to get caught up in big emotions during such an important game, it’s not smart to get ejected when the stakes are so high.
The Pacers had no problem putting the Cavaliers down on Sunday, but they were still missing Mathurin and would have loved to use him for all four quarters.
In the end, they only got him for a single minute, and he didn’t score at all.
Can he stay composed in Game 4 and contribute more to his team?
Will Mathurin really use this as a learning experience?
NEXT: Tyrese Haliburton Reveals Pacers' Adjustment In Game 4
