The Indiana Pacers are now trailing 0-2 in their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks after a 130-121 loss on Wednesday, and they are pointing fingers at what they believe to be the root cause: the officiating.
Following the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle openly criticized the officiating, which he believes played a significant role in the outcome.
In response, the Pacers organization has lodged a formal complaint with the NBA. They submitted evidence of 78 plays across the first two games—49 of which were from Wednesday’s game alone—where they contend that incorrect calls were made, as reported by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Carlisle, who was ejected in the final moments of Wednesday’s game, expressed his frustrations during a post-game press conference. “I can promise you that we’re going to submit these tonight,” he stated, adding that the Knicks should also prepare to review the plays. “I’m always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot. Small market teams deserve an equal shot. They deserve a fair shot no matter where they’re playing.”
Despite his sentiments, Carlisle’s remarks reflect a broader discussion on fairness in the league, underscored by the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA championship win a few years back, which defied similar market-based challenges.
With Game 3 scheduled for Friday night in Indianapolis, the Pacers are hopeful that the officiating will be more favorable as they seek to turn the series around.
