After Indiana‘s 130-121 Game 2 loss against the Knicks this Wednesday night, the organization has decided to publicly address the issue of officiating. Coach Rick Carlisle expressed his concerns about the number of calls that have gone against them in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The Pacers had already shown frustration with the referees after their loss in Game 1. During Wednesday night’s game, Carlisle lost his patience and confronted the referees, resulting in two technical fouls and an ejection. He was particularly upset with several calls in the fourth quarter, including a reversed double-dribble call that could have been crucial for Indiana.
“Their physicality is rewarded & ours is penalized”
Rick Carlisle is unhappy with the officiating through 2 gamespic.twitter.com/DQe6V2iC3d
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 9, 2024
Carlisle addressed the press after the game and mentioned that his team had identified 29 questionable calls from Game 1 that went against them. He plans to submit a report to the NBA for review. He believes the calls are unfairly favoring big-market teams like the Knicks, rather than giving small-market teams like the Pacers a fair chance.
Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton acknowledges team’s poor performance
Despite the focus on officiating, Tyrese Haliburton admitted that the Pacers have not been playing at their best. He acknowledged the Knicks’ strong performance in erasing a 10-point deficit in Game 2. Haliburton, who scored 34 points in the game, emphasized the need for the team to improve their overall play.
Carlisle’s coaching decisions, such as T.J. McConnell’s involvement in the game, have also been scrutinized. McConnell, who had a plus-10 plus/minus in Game 2, expressed support for his coach’s rotations and promised to be ready whenever called upon.
