Rick Carlisle Takes the Blame For Pacers' Game 3 Home Loss to Cavaliers

The Indiana Pacers dropped a 126-104 game to coach Kenny Atkinson’s Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, their first loss of what is now a 2-1 series in favor of the Pacers.

The Pacers faced a startling 21-point halftime deficit after an abysmal second quarter that saw them get outscored 34-13 by their visitors to the Northeast. 

Following the game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle shared his raw thoughts on the disappointing outcome, as Indiana failed to capitalize on a chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. 

“This was a very poor effort from the beginning of the game…Clearly I didn’t have these guys ready for this game,” Carlisle said afterward

The veteran coach refused to point the finger, instead choosing to focus on his own team’s lack of fight.

“This has zero to do with the officials. This is us not playing with enough posture, poise, whatever you want to call it.

“We got to fight harder. We didn’t fight hard enough. They did,” Carlisle added.

Carlisle and the Pacers have a day to get right before Sunday’s matchup at 8 p.m. ET in Indianapolis, a pivotal contest that will decide who has momentum heading back to Cleveland for Game 5 on Tuesday. 

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