Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Pacers HC Rick Carlisle enters health and safety protocols

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 12/9/21

It was announced Thursday morning that the Indiana Pacers were one of two NBA teams to cancel their scheduled practices "out of an abundance of caution." Now, the team's head coach has entered the health and safety protocols.

Rick Carlisle had positive result on rapid test after last night's win over Knicks, sources told ESPN. He took a PCR test today to confirm, but that result is not expected until Friday.

Pacers host Mavs on Friday, the first time Carlisle was scheduled to coach vs. his old team. https://t.co/Ibb31hMOS4
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 9, 2021

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Carlisle — currently in his first year of his third stint with the Pacers and second tenure as head coach — could miss multiple games. If Carlisle were to miss time, assistant Lloyd Pierce would coach the team, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Indiana is currently on a six-game homestand that began with a 114-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 1. The Pacers then lost to the Miami Heat last Friday, defeated the Washington Wizards on Monday and dropped the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

The team is scheduled to take on the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and then wrap up its home slate at 7 p.m. ET on Monday against the Golden State Warriors.

More must-reads: