The Indiana Pacers were flying high in Game 4—until Rick Carlisle hit the brakes with a challenge that made fans across Gainbridge Fieldhouse raise their eyebrows.
Midway through a high-octane first quarter, Carlisle used his coach’s challenge on a questionable call involving Jalen Brunson and Obi Toppin. Indiana argued Brunson had hooked Toppin on a drive, but the replay clearly showed Toppin’s hand was already on Brunson. The refs upheld the and-one call for New York, and Indiana lost its challenge for the rest of the game. Brutal.
At the time, the Pacers were thriving. Tyrese Haliburton was playing like a man on a mission, nearly notching a triple-double in the first quarter with 15 points, six assists, and five boards. The Pacers were outrunning New York, holding a 12-2 edge in fastbreak points and building a 43-35 lead by the end of the quarter.
Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns picked up two early fouls—again—and was benched just minutes in, echoing his Game 3 struggles. Tom Thibodeau quickly turned to Josh Hart, who helped stabilize the Knicks.
Aaron Nesmith, who was questionable due to an ankle injury, looked healthy and locked in. He knocked down two threes and threw down a monster dunk to fire up the crowd. Pascal Siakam added 11 points in a sharp start.
But Carlisle’s gamble backfired. In a game of momentum swings, burning a challenge early on a weak call could be the kind of decision Indiana regrets most.
(This is a building story…)
The post Rick Carlisle’s Weird Decision Turns Costly for Indiana After Jalen Brunson vs Obi Toppin Incident in Game 4 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
