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Benedict Mathurin.
Mat Hayward/Getty Images for adidas BasketballIndiana Pacers guard Benedict Mathurin disagreed with a foul call late in his team’s 127-117 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, January 15, and officially left Natalie Sago know about it.
As a result, he has been suspended one game without pay for “making inappropriate contact with a match official and verbal abuse,” the NBA announced Thursday, January 16, in a statement.
The incident came late in the fourth quarter as Mathurin, 22, pursued the Cavaliers center Evan Mobley and tried to block Mobley’s dunk attempt. Sago, 35, called Mathurin dirty, causing the third-year player out of Arizona to immediately get into an argument, right behind Sago’s face and bumping into her.
Crew chief Zach Zarba confirm after the game through an NBA pool report that Mathurin was “correctly called” a fool after hitting Mobley.
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Sago assessed Mathurin with two technical fouls and was ejected from the game as his teammates held him back as he continued to protest the call.
It was actually his third technical of the game; he also received a technical foul earlier in the game for hanging on the rim and pulling himself up after a dunk.
Mathurin finished the game with 19 points and four rebounds.
The suspension will cost him $41,642, according to ESPN. Mathurin, however, is in the midst of his first pro contract, worth $29,936,173 over four years.
“That was the moment,” Mathurin said after the game. “The game is so intense, especially myself – being this competitive, I want to win. It was an unfortunate situation, but I was able to learn from it.”
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Mathurin added that he had apologized to Sago.
“I went to see Natalie and everything is fine,” he continued. “(I) wanted to apologize for the unfortunate situation. We were able to end on good terms. I wish her a great night, and next time we meet, it’s all friendly.”
Sago has been a full-time NBA referee since 2018 when she became only the fifth woman ever to hold the position. She had managed 233 career games entering this season and had won NBA All-Star duties in 2022 – an assignment that goes to the best officials in the league.
Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle calling the incident an “emotional moment.”
“It happens all the time … a disagreement on a call,” he said. “(Mathurin) got a run and we’re moving on.”
The Pacers next game is Thursday night, on the road against the Detroit Pistons. Mathurin will be eligible to return on Saturday, January 18, at home against the Philadelphia 76ers.
