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05/12 00:11 CDT Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin ejected after hitting Cavs' Hunter
in the chest with a closed fist
Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin ejected after hitting Cavs' Hunter in the chest with
a closed fist
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) --- Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was ejected in
the first quarter of Game 4 on Sunday for hitting Cleveland Cavaliers backup
De'Andre Hunter in the chest with a closed fist.
Even without one of their top scorers, the Pacers tied an NBA playoff record by
taking a 41-point halftime lead and rolled past the Cavaliers 129-109 to take a
3-1 lead in this Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Replays showed Mathurin extending his fist into Hunter, who responded by
wagging his finger at Mathurin and following him toward midcourt, where he
shoved Mathurin to the ground with two hands. Pacers center Myles Turner then
ran across the court and ran into Hunter.
Following a replay review, the referees called Mathurin for a flagrant 2, an
automatic ejection, drawing a chorus of boos from Pacers fans. Technical fouls
were given to Turner and Hunter.
"I had a lot of questions about it," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "I saw
one still shot where it looked he had his hand flat, you know? But they a lot
of different views. Whatever happened, happened. He'll accept the ejection and
whatever else happens from it. We've just got to move forward."
The Pacers can close out the series and earn their second straight appearance
in the conference finals Tuesday in Cleveland, where they won the first two
games.
Mathurin did not score in his 80 seconds on the court. Hunter, who missed Game
2 with an injured wrist, had five points and four rebounds while Turner made
all four of his 3-point attempts and finished with 20 points, seven rebounds
and three assists.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
