Dissatisfied, Pacers coach talked about being judged as a skilled foul in the G3 defeat of the Cavaliers: This has nothing to do with the referee

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle shared his thoughts on the referee after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers at home. The Indiana Pacers fought back from the quagmire of seven points in the last minute to win the second game, but they failed to replicate such magic in Game 3. They never led, and although Rick Carlisle's team briefly put pressure on their opponents early in the fourth quarter, they gradually lost control late in the game and eventually lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-126.

Rick Carlisle's frustration erupted, and so did the Pacers. After expressing his dissatisfaction with the referee many times, Carlisle was awarded a technical foul - which sets the tone for the Indiana team's decline. His emotional reactions affected the team’s game, causing the team to take hasty shots, misdefense, and the game was completely out of control whenever they tried to get the score back.

"It has nothing to do with the referee," Carlisle said in an interview with Forbes Sports reporter Tony East. "It has nothing to do with the referee. It's all because we lack enough presence, posture, temperament when playing, and whatever you call it."

In the playoffs, calmness is crucial - and Rick Carlisle's Pacers are still trying to find this calmness. While Indiana has also experienced playoff competitions before, they prefer drama rather than discipline. Their first-round series with the Bucks had many fierce clashes, ending with a fierce clash between Tyres Halliburton's father and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Now, facing the Cavaliers, which are testing the team's emotional limits, Carlisle has failed to maintain the team's stability. In the third game, the team's out of control appeared early and the game quickly lost control.

Cavs beat the Pacers

Cleveland cannot expect the Pacers to lose their cool every night. Rick Carlisle is a championship coach and despite the young Indiana team, their roster has experienced meaningful moments in the playoffs. However, what the Cavaliers can rely on is their unremitting struggle and control of offensive rebounds – an advantage that will continue to have an advantage in the series. The usual weakness of the Cavaliers became a clear advantage in Game 3. Cleveland had an absolute advantage in rebounding, defeating the Pacers 56-37, which included a staggering 18 offensive rebounds. Although the frontcourt took most of the responsibility, this game was the result of the joint efforts of the whole team. Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell each grabbed five offensive rebounds, and Jarrett Allen also contributed four, providing more opportunities for the team's offense and gradually suppressing the Pacers. The

Cavaliers took advantage of each additional offensive opportunity and expanded their lead with a 31-point second offensive score. While Mobley and Allen usually have a rebounding advantage, the third game showed the depth of Cleveland, and the contribution of the team players also cemented their position as a strong playoff contender.

Although the Cavaliers may no longer have such a strong advantage in the future, they don't need to win a big victory every time. Cleveland showed a calm and composed style in a close match and will face Game 4 with confidence as their key scorer Dalius Garland returns.

In this third game that is bound to win, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the challenge and defeated the talented but young Indiana Pacers coached by Rick Carlisle. The Pacers will strive to defend their home title at 8 p.m. Sunday, and the game will be broadcast on TNT TV.