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INDIANAPOLIS–Frustration boiled over on the Indiana Pacers bench Wednesday night when they lost to the Sacramento Kings 104-93. Pacers assistant coach Greg Foster got into an argument with Pacers center Goga Bitadze. Both Bitadze and Foster had to be separated by players and coaches.

“They both want what’s best for the team. It just didn’t happen that way. Again, with the frustration part of it, it boiled over there. But we’ll come together,” said Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren in a postgame press conference. “The competitive juices are flowing and things like that will happen.”

It doesn’t help that the Pacers have lost four of their last five games. Their record is 30-35, which puts them 9th in the Eastern conference standings.

“We’re in a frustrating stretch here. There’s a lot going on with the challenges and navigating through a season,” said Bjorkgren.

Bitadze finished the game with 5 points in 21 minutes.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that Bjorkgren “has work to do on relationships with key players in his locker room … and has thus far shown a willingness within the organization to try to address those issues.” Bjorkgren also addressed that Thursday night.

“I don’t make excuses for things. I’m a young coach and I’m learning. I’m growing. I’m trying to be better. I gotta coach better. This is on me. I’m the head coach. Things should be pointed at me and rest on my shoulders,” said Bjorkgren.

The Pacers play the Atlanta Hawks tonight at 8 pm. You can hear the game on 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan.

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