Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was unhappy with the officiating in the two initial games of the second-round playoffs against the NY Knicks, and he spoke up about it loud and clear. The 64-year-old wasn’t aware of the repercussions his move would bring.
The Indiana franchise submitted 78 plays to the league for both games, claiming that there were incorrect calls made. Carlisle didn’t stop at that. Showing his disappointment with the referee’s decisions in a press conference, the HC said “Small market teams deserve an equal shot,” he added, “They deserve a fair shot. No matter where they’re playing.”
This didn’t sit well with the NBA front office, who levied a fine of $35,000 on Carlisle for calling out the game officials. As soon as the news circulated on social media, the NBA community couldn’t hold themselves back from brutally criticizing the league commissioner Adam Silver for issuing a hefty fine to the HC instead of reviewing the calls. Here’s what the fans said on X (formerly known as Twitter):
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Despite the pocket pinch, Carlisle will be happy with the aftermath of the announcement as his team finally pulled one back on the Knicks.
Rick Carlisle’s Pacers Pull One Back Against Knicks
Following two consecutive losses in the semis, the Pacers HC Rick Carlisle disclosed that they made some adjustments to bounce back in Game 3, which seemed to have worked for the team as they finally secured a 111-106 victory in the series.
The team displayed a certain level of confidence in front of the home crowd. The offense was led by the talisman, Tyrese Haliburton, scoring 35 points. Teammates Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner chipped in 26 and 21 points to provide immense support to the guard.
Although Donte DiVincenzo contributed 35 points and Jalen Brunson added 26 points for the Knicks, it wasn’t enough to outscore the Pacers, who had a different energy from the opening quarter. The Indiana franchise knew what was expected of them at this stage, and they chalked out their plan accordingly.
The Pacers will meet the Knicks again at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday where they will either even the 2-1 score or give another game lead to the New York franchise.
