Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson calls out Pacers, suggests team crossed 'line of physicality' in playoff game

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered this year's playoffs arsenic the apical effect successful the Eastern Conference past cruised done a first-round bid with the Miami Heat.

After sweeping the Heat, the Cavs opened a second-round bid with the Indiana Pacers Sunday. 

The Pacers upset the Cavs successful Game 1 of the East semifinals, and Cleveland caput manager Kenny Atkinson seemingly took contented with the Pacers' benignant of play.

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Cleveland Cavaliers caput manager Kenny Atkinson reacts during the archetypal fractional against the Indiana Pacers successful Game 1 of the 2nd circular of the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Rocket Arena successful Cleveland May 4, 2025. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)

During his postgame quality conference, Atkinson revealed Evan Mobley aggravated an ankle during the game, portion DeAndre Hunter dislocated a thumb. While the manager said play didn't escalate to the level of being "dirty," helium did suggest Indiana's level of physicality contributed to the injuries.

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"I don't deliberation they were soiled plays, but I deliberation it passed a enactment of physicality," Atkinson said. 

Indiana Pacers guardant Pascal Siakam (43) defends Cleveland Cavaliers guardant Evan Mobley (4) during the 2nd fractional successful Game 1 of the 2nd circular of the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Rocket Arena successful Cleveland May 4, 2025. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)

"That enactment we've benignant of been talking astir wherever it became excessive. So, No. 1 was the non-call connected De’Andre's layup, which I don't cognize ... I felt helium got perfectly obliterated and dislocated his thumb, truthful he'll beryllium questionable. And past Evan, astir the aforesaid time, I can't retrieve if it was earlier oregon after, (Myles) Turner contests his two-point shot, comes under, intelligibly nether him. ... I deliberation you guys saw him limping the remainder of the game."

Pacers caput manager Rick Carlisle responded to Atkinson's assertion, saying, "He's protecting his players."

Cleveland Cavaliers caput manager Kenny Atkinson reacts successful the archetypal 4th against the Indiana Pacers during Game 2 of the 2nd circular of the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Rocket Arena Cleveland May 6, 2025. (David Richard/Imagn Images)

"And that's a large portion of the coach's job," Carlisle added. "There are truthful galore events successful an NBA game. They turned successful 3 plays to the league. When you crook successful plays to the league, the different squad has to beryllium notified of that, truthful we were notified. …. I don't privation to archer you the fig of plays we turned successful during our Milwaukee series, and we won 4 retired of 5 games. There are truthful galore things successful a heated playoff bid that you disagree with."

Carlisle said astatine slightest 1 of the plays was the effect of a "missed call."

"The play with (Jarrett) Allen … that was a missed call, clearly," Carlisle said.

The NBA fined Carlisle $35,000 successful May 2024 aft helium directed immoderate disapproval astatine the referees who officiated the Pacers' playoff bid against the New York Knicks.

Shortly earlier Game 2 tipped disconnected Tuesday evening, ESPN reported Mobley and Hunter were ruled out. Darius Garland, who sat retired Game 1 with an injury, was besides unavailable for Game 2.

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The Cavs held an 81-67 pb implicit the Pacers with 5:07 remaining successful the 3rd 4th of Game 2 Tuesday night.

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