Tensions were high during tonight’s Pacers vs Cavs clash. Well, the Cleveland franchise was looking for redemption after Tyrese Haliburton and Co. snapped their twelve-game winning streak on Sunday. Regaining their elite form once again, the Cavs gained a comfortable lead in the second half and were closing in on another victory. And that’s when frustrations began to rise in the Pacers’ camp, which led to Bennedict Mathurin getting ejected for a shocking physical confrontation with official Natalie Sago.

The incident occurred in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. As the visitors were enjoying a comfortable nine-point lead, Evan Mobley drove to the basket for an easy layup. However, Mathurin charged at him from the side and intentionally fouled Mobley while he was still airborne. Sure enough, it caused the Cavs star to hit the deck hard and Natalie called a foul on Mathurin.

Understandably, the Pacers star was not pleased with the call. However, the actions that followed were unexpected. He charged toward the official and began clapping aggressively. He received an immediate tech for it.

Unfortunately, that only riled up Bennedict Mathurin more, and he began chirping at Sago. Moreover, as the hoopster walked up to the official, the Pacers star got a little too close and shoulder-bumped her. Although the contact was minor, it was totally uncalled for. As expected, Bennedict got tossed from the game right away.

Because of the ejection, the forward’s night ended early, and he finished with 19 points. But his actions could lead to an even bigger penalty, in the form of a hefty fine or maybe even a suspension for making contact with the ref. And in turn, Mathurin’s antics also cost his entire team.

Cavs get revenge from Pacers following Bennedict Mathurin’s ejection

Well, the Cavs were already leading when the controversial altercation occurred. But the Pacers still had a fighting chance to make a comeback if they played their cards right. However, those hopes shattered completely following Mathurin’s ejection as they lost one of their key scorers. Yes, the home team was already playing without Haliburton, who injured his groin during Sunday’s game.

Bennedict was doing a decent job making up for his absence. However, he blew his team’s chances of winning by losing control of his emotions. Sure enough, the Cavs won by ten points and snapped the Pacers’ six-game winning streak, completing their revenge.

Moreover, a suspension could hurt the Indiana Pacers even deeper if Bennedict Mathurin remains unavailable in the upcoming games amid Tyrese Haliburton’s injury. So, his actions toward Sago could prove to be a very costly mistake. What are your thoughts?