Rick Carlisle Fined $35K for Ref Criticism amid Rumors of Pacers Sending Calls to NBA
The NBA announced Friday that Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has been fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating after Indiana's 130-121 loss the the New York Knicks in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series on Wednesday.
In a press release, NBA Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars noted that Carlisle was also responsible for "questioning the integrity of the league and its officials."
Carlisle was ejected near the end of Game 2 after receiving two technical fouls, and he voiced his displeasure with the officiating afterward, telling reporters: "I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot."
In Game 1, Indiana fell 121-117 to New York in controversial fashion, as several questionable calls went against the Pacers.
Among them was an erroneous kicked ball violation call against the Pacers, which was not corrected and cost them three points. Also, Pacers center Myles Turner was called for an offensive foul on a screen with 12.1 seconds left and the Pacers down by one, although the NBA's Last Two Minute Report determined that the latter call was correct.
Carlisle told reporters that the Pacers organization had gathered 29 calls it felt went unfairly against them in Game 1 and planned to submit them to the league, but ultimately decided against it.
In explaining why, Carlisle said: "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."
Given how Game 2 went, the Pacers reversed course and submitted what they believed to be 78 incorrect calls from both games to the league, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
After Game 2, Carlisle suggested that the officials were favoring the Knicks since they are among the NBA's biggest-market teams, saying: "Small-market teams deserve an equal shot. They deserve a fair shot no matter where they're playing."
The Pacers had their opportunities in both Game 1 and Game 2, but they head back to Indianapolis in a tough spot, trailing the second-seeded Knicks 2-0 in the series.
Even so, the Pacers are a dangerous team, as they upset the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and have a strong core of star players in Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Turner.
The Pacers also have the benefit of being the healthier team since the Knicks will be without OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson in Game 3. Also, Julius Randle is out for the season and superstar guard Jalen Brunson is questionable with a foot injury.
One win can completely turn the series around, and the Pacers will have their chance to do so when the host the Knicks in Game 3 on Friday night.
