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'Sit the f*** down': NBA coach erupts after player's ugly spray

Yahoo Sports Staff
·3-min read
Indiana Pacers assistant coach Greg Foster and center Goga Bitadze had to be separated after an ugly confrontation during their blowout loss to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. Pictures: Bally Sports Indiana

Things are not going well for the Indiana Pacers.

That was more than evident in the Pacers’ blowout 104-93 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night after assistant coach Greg Foster erupted on big man Goga Bitadze in the third quarter.

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The incident took place in the third quarter after Kings forward Maurice Harkless drove through the lane and threw down a dunk over Bitadze, who just stopped and watched it happen at the rim.

Bitadze then hit a 3-pointer at the other end on the next possession.

As he was running back down the court to play defense, he appeared to turn to Foster and tell him to “sit the f*** down.”

That didn’t sit well with Foster, who erupted and started screaming at Bitadze as soon as the play was dead and the game went into a timeout.

The Georgian big man finished the night with five points and six rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.

Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren said he'd spoken to both Bitadze and Foster after the game, saying that the explosive confrontation was fuelled by a combination of frustration over a season gone awry and the pair's combined competitiveness.

“I’ve talked to both of them about it, absolutely, and I’m going to talk to them more about it right after this,” Bjorkgren said, via Full Access Pacers.

“I’m going to find out exactly what was said and in what way, and go from there … Again, they’re both trying so hard. They’re both competitive. They both want what’s best for the team.

"It just didn’t happen that way. With the frustration part of it, it boiled over there a little bit.”

Pacers coach facing uncertain future after horror NBA season

Wednesday’s dust up came as Bjorkgren is apparently facing an uncertain future in just his first season with the organization.

Bjorkgren was hired to replace Nate McMillan, and — despite leading the Pacers to just a 30-35 record — is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings and on pace to earn a spot in the new postseason play-in.

The coach, though, has “significant work to do” with players and other members of the organisation, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Indiana Pacers are fighting for a place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, despite entering the season with high expectations. (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Indiana Pacers are fighting for a place in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, despite entering the season with high expectations. (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) (NBAE via Getty Images)

His coaching style and communication is being blamed in part for the team’s struggles this season, too.

While Wednesday’s on-court feud won’t be a determining factor on Bjorkgren’s job on its own, it certainly doesn’t help — and provides a very clear look at how things are shaking out within the organisation.

"We’re in a frustrating stretch here,” Bjorkgren said, via the Indianapolis Star.

“A lot going on with the challenges of navigating through a season. The competitive juices are flowing and things like that will happen.”

Yahoo Sport US/Ryan Young

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