Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle misses multiple games after testing positive for COVID-19

Indiana Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle will miss many games after returning a positive PCR test result for COVID-19, the team announced Friday.

Because of the positive test results, Carlisle will miss her first match against Dallas Mavericks – the team he coached for 13 seasons before stepping down last season – on Friday.

Assistant coach Lloyd Pierce will serve as head coach in Carlisle’s absence. After Friday, the Pacers are off until Monday against Golden Empire Warriors. They have three matches scheduled for next week.

Carlisle joined the NBA’s health and safety protocols Thursday after testing positive on a rapid test, sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The Pacers also canceled Thursday’s practice out of “out of an abundance of caution.”

A source said on Thursday that 62-year-old Carlisle, who is fully vaccinated and has been given a booster shot, was experiencing “mild symptoms”.

Carlisle is in his second stint with the Pacers, the team he also coached from 2003 to 2007, making three appearances in four seasons.