Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Ejected in Loss to Nuggets; Unusual ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ for Free Throws

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle faced an early exit during the team’s 114-109 defeat against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, sparked by a heated disagreement with officials over a perceived missed foul on newly acquired Pacers star Pascal Siakam.

In the midst of the third quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Siakam attempted a challenging layup against Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The play resulted in a missed layup, and as Siakam crashed to the floor, the Nuggets seized the rebound and transitioned to the offensive end.

Convinced Siakam had been fouled, Carlisle vehemently protested, earning himself a quick technical foul. Undeterred, he charged at an official, resulting in a second technical foul and his subsequent ejection from the game. Assistant coach Lloyd Pierce had to intervene briefly to prevent further escalation.

In an amusing twist, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jamal Murray decided the fate of the free throws through a game of “rock, paper, scissors,” with Caldwell-Pope emerging victorious.

This ejection marked Carlisle’s first of the season and came at a pivotal moment for the Pacers. Despite being outscored by 20 points in the third quarter, the team launched a spirited 22-9 run at the start of the fourth, briefly regaining the lead. However, the Nuggets, led by a triple-double performance from Nikola Jokić (31 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) and 31 points from Murray, regained control and secured a five-point victory.

Myles Turner led the Pacers with 22 points, while Siakam, in his third game with the team, contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds. Despite Siakam’s addition, the Pacers have faced challenges, losing five of their past six games, including all three since his arrival. Additionally, the absence of star Tyrese Haliburton due to a hamstring injury has further impacted the team’s performance, with his evaluation scheduled for Saturday.