Rick Carlisle hit with $35k fine after he changed tune, sent message to NBA
Rick Carlisle hit with $35k fine after he changed tune, sent message to NBA
Future Hall of Fame coach Rick Carlisle did not voice his frustration with officiating after Game 1. But he did after Game 2, one they failed to close out. "Small market teams deserve an equal shot."
Rick Carlisle wasn’t on the court for the final three possessions of the Indiana Pacers’ Game 2 loss Wednesday. He was back in the locker room at Madison Square Garden after receiving a two-tech ejection with 33 seconds remaining.
He had seen enough.
From the officials, and perhaps his team too.
The Pacers were outscored 36-18 in the third quarter, then were within two points with 4:35 left. Yet once again, they were outplayed late — and are now trailing 0-2 in the second-round series after a 130-121 loss.
He then opened his postgame with an opening statement, something he elected not to do after Game 1. He expressed his frustration with the officiating and the inconsistencies that he’s felt have gone against Indiana.
This was a complete 180 change in approach from what he said after their Game 1 loss, which the league acknowledged was impacted by officiating late with four missed calls. I wrote about that approach then because it was noteworthy — and now you’re seeing why.
Here’s how he began on Wednesday — going uninterrupted for 2:37.
After Game 1, we always go through the film and games where it felt like the whistles weren't balanced. And we pull the clips and there's a way you can submit them to the NBA office. In the playoffs when you submit things, the other team sees what you submit. And so there were 29 plays in game one that we thought were clearly called the wrong way. I decided not to submit them because I just felt like we get a more balanced whistle tonight.
It didn't feel that way.