The Indiana Pacers have made no secret of the fact that they are upset with how the first two games of their Eastern Conference semifinals series have been officiated. Now we have an indication of just how mad they are.
The Pacers submitted 78 instances of what they believe to be missed calls from the first two games against the New York Knicks, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Coach Rick Carlisle had said the Pacers identified 29 questionable plays from Game 1, while a source told Windhorst that the team picked out an additional 49 plays from Game 2.
Carlisle publicly vented about the officiating following Game 2, singling out one play in particular. The team largely kept its mouth shut after Game 1, but Carlisle openly suggested after Game 2 that the Pacers were getting the short end of the stick from officials because of their small-market status and a hostile Madison Square Garden crowd.
In addition to his critical comments, Carlisle got ejected from Game 2. He might have a fine coming his way, though he will consider it a small price to pay if it actually helps his team in the rest of the series.
Obviously, nothing is going to come of this as it relates to the first two games. The Pacers are hopeful that the league will take note of their concerns and be a bit more favorable to them going forward.
