Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle expressed frustration with the officiating in his team’s Game 2 loss to the New York Knicks, stating that “small-market teams deserve an equal shot.” The Pacers have submitted a complaint to the league office on more than 78 calls they believe were ruled incorrect over the first two games of the series. Carlisle was ejected late in Game 2, which put the Pacers in a 2-0 hole in the Eastern Conference semifinals. In Game 1, the Pacers found 29 calls they felt were incorrect but did not submit them to the NBA. However, after Game 2, they found 49 calls they believed were incorrect and decided to send them to the league office.
Carlisle emphasized the importance of fair officiating, stating that there is a lack of consistency and balance in the calls. The Pacers felt that there were several instances of incorrect calls in both Game 1 and Game 2. One particular play in the third quarter where Josh Hart of the Knicks allegedly shoved Pacers’ All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton in the back without a whistle stood out to Carlisle. Despite Haliburton acknowledging that the team needed to take responsibility for their performance, Carlisle insisted on submitting the calls they found to be incorrect in order to ensure fairness in future games.
While Haliburton admitted that the Pacers were outplayed and needed to play better, Carlisle believed that the officiating played a significant role in the outcomes of the first two games against the Knicks. He pointed out instances where he felt the officiating decisions favored the Knicks, such as a late double dribble violation against the Pacers that was changed to an inadvertent whistle due to Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau’s actions. Carlisle emphasized the importance of small-market teams like the Pacers receiving a fair shot, especially in high-stakes playoff games.
The complaints submitted by the Pacers to the league office are aimed at highlighting the instances of incorrect calls they believe affected the outcomes of the games against the Knicks. While the focus remains on fair officiating, Carlisle also acknowledged the need for his team to improve their performance on the court in order to compete effectively. As the series moves to Indiana for Game 3, Carlisle hopes that the officiating will be more balanced and fair to give the Pacers an equal opportunity to succeed. The team’s efforts to address the officiating issues reflect their commitment to ensuring a level playing field for all teams, regardless of market size.
