INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was ejected in the first quarter of Sunday's Game 4 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers after being given a flagrant foul 2 for striking Cavs forward De'Andre Hunter in his midsection with a closed fist.
Hunter shoved Mathurin to the floor in response, which prompted Pacers center Myles Turner to push Hunter. Both Hunter and Turner were issued technical fouls.
But after an official review, Mathurin was given a more severe penalty for starting the altercation with his punch to Hunter to create space as the Pacers inbounded the ball.
"That contact was deemed to be unnecessary and excessive," crew chief John Goble told a pool reporter after the game.
Following the punch, Hunter began waving his finger as he walked up to Mathurin on the court then shoved him in the chest.
The Pacers built a 38-23 first-quarter lead on their way to a 129-109 victory and a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Mathurin played one minute and did not score.
"Whatever happened, happened. He will accept the ejection [and] whatever else happens from it," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Mathurin following the game. "We just got to move forward. It is a learning experience for him. Playoff series are physical. They're chippy. They're personal. And we got to stay out of the weeds of things that take us away from what we do best."
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson had taken note of what he called an excessive foul in Game 1 of the series when Mathurin's block on Hunter's layup at the rim resulted in Hunter spraining his right thumb, which kept him out of Game 2.