Indiana coach Rick Carlisle expressed frustration with the officiating following his team’s loss to the New York Knicks, stating that “small-market teams deserve an equal shot.” Carlisle received two technical fouls and was ejected late in the game, contributing to the Pacers’ 2-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
He mentioned that the Pacers identified 29 calls they believed were incorrect in their previous loss but didn’t report them to the NBA. However, he assured that they would be submitting them this time around.
Carlisle emphasized the importance of fairness while acknowledging a lack of consistency in officiating, particularly in crucial playoff games.
Although officials acknowledged a wrongly called violation in the previous game, the Pacers felt there were numerous other instances of incorrect calls. Carlisle cited specific plays, including one where a shove went unnoticed, as examples of what they perceived as unfair officiating.
Despite the frustration with officiating, Carlisle also stressed the need for his team to focus on their own performance rather than blaming the officials.
