Cavaliers HC Kenny Atkinson Earns Fiery Ejection Against Pacers

Kenny Atkinson was fighting for his Cleveland Cavaliers team and it cost him when he got too hot under the collar against the Indiana Pacers.

Apr 6, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson wasn't happy, and that's underselling the moment.

Watching his team suffer through a 12-0 run by the Indiana Pacers in a close contest near the end of the third quarter, Atkinson was incensed when Tristan Thompson made a running nine-footer from the paint and clearly got pushed in the process.

Thompson was looking for an and-one opportunity and Atkinson clearly agreed. He felt there was contact on the drive (because their was) and he let the closest referee know his feelings on the matter as the ball made its way back up the floor.

That led to a quick technical foul, but Atkinson wasn't done there. What happened next was pure vitriol. Atkinson kept yelling choice words at the referee crew and he wasn't backing down, so much so that an assistant coach had to try to step in front of him to keep him from advancing on the court.

None the less, Atkinson persisted to the point of getting his second technical and earning an ejection. Even after that moment, he wasn't done, though, giving the refs a piece of his mind.

It looked like this:

Atkinson was clearly trying to light a fire under his team, and for the time being, it worked. They went into the fourth quarter up a point and by 7:13 to go in the game they boasted a 102-95 lead.

Unfortunatly for the Cavaliers, the Pacers came back to tie the game at 107 with 4:11 to go as Tyrese Haliburton started to take over. He put up eight points in those last 4:11 and the Pacers were able to hold on to a close 114-112 win.