Pacers complained about 78 Knicks calls to NBA – one 'shocked' them

NBA

By Justin Tasch

Published
May 9, 2024, 11:02 a.m. ET

The Pacers submitted 78 plays in their two playoff losses to the Knicks that they insist were screwed over by the refs – but there was one play in particular that had the coach Indiana Rick Carlisle angry Wednesday night.

With just over five minutes left in the third quarter of the Knicks’ 130-121 Game 2 win at the Garden, Josh Hart shoved Tyrese Haliburton in the back as the Pacers guard ran up the floor with the ball, but no fault. was called for the part.

Before Game 2, Carlisle said Haliburton had a back issue that was a “concern.”

“The whole world knows Haliburton has a bad back, and Hart comes in and pushes him in the back. It’s all over Twitter right now,” Carlisle said after the loss.

Carlisle, who was ejected late in the game after a second technical foul, added that referee JB DeRosa was “looking straight” at the play.

“There is no whistle,” the coach said. “It was shocking.”

The Pacers submitted that play and more than six dozen others to the league office that they believe were wrongly called against them, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Carlisle said Wednesday night that there were 29 plays from Game 1 that the Pacers believed were “clearly” incorrectly called, but he decided not to submit them because he thought they would get “a hit more balanced whistle” during the second match.

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He then “promised” that the team would submit a certain number of plays after Game 2.

The Knicks can see every play the Pacers submitted to the league.

“I always tell our guys not to talk about the officials, but we deserve a fair chance,” Carlisle said.

During his complaint-filled press conference, Carlisle claimed the two teams’ disparity in market size played a role in the arbitration.

“Small-market teams deserve an equal opportunity,” he said. “They deserve a fair chance no matter where they play.”