Pacers file complaint over 78 calls to NBA, source says
The Indiana Pacers have submitted 78 plays that they felt went against them incorrectly during Games 1 and 2 against the New York Knicks, a source told ESPN.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, speaking after Indiana fell behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 130-121 loss to New York on Wednesday, said the team had identified 29 questionable calls from Game 1. The source said the Pacers identified 49 such plays from Game 2 and submitted them overnight to the NBA office.
Carlisle said they had decided not to send the Game 1 calls to the league office for review but changed their mind after Game 2 had similar officiating issues from their perspective.
"I decided not to submit them because I just felt like we'd get a more balanced whistle tonight. It didn't feel that way," Carlisle said. "I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot."
Carlisle received two technical fouls and was ejected late in the fourth quarter Wednesday after growing upset about several calls, particularly when officials correctly reversed a double-dribble violation that could have given the Pacers a key possession with the game still in doubt.
In Game 1, a kicked ball violation was called in error against the Pacers but not corrected, a decision that ended up costing the team three vital points during the 121-117 loss.
The Madison Square Garden crowd, which was elated when star Jalen Brunson returned in the second half after missing the entire second quarter to deal with a right foot issue, made the environment hostile for the Pacers, and Carlisle said he believed it led to unfair officiating favoring the big-market Knicks.
"Small-market teams deserve an equal shot," Carlisle said. "They deserve a fair shot no matter where they're playing."
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who scored 34 points in bouncing back from putting up six in Game 1, wasn't going to place all the blame on the officiating.
"Let's not pretend like [officiating] is the only reason we lost. We just didn't play good enough," Haliburton said. "We just got to be better."
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