Officiating Has Become Indiana Pacers’ Main Rival in NBA Playoffs

Two weeks prior to the Indiana Pacers finding themselves down three games to none in the Eastern Conference Finals, coach Rick Carlisle found his team down two games to none in the second round to the New York Knicks. Following the Pacers’ brutal Game 2 loss in that series, Carlisle expressed his frustration with the officiating and vowed to take action against the league.

Despite their two-game deficit in that series, the Pacers were able to rebound, taking the next two games at home and eventually knocking off the Knicks in seven to advance to the Conference Finals. But now that the Pacers find themselves in an 0-3 hole in the Conference Finals to the Boston Celticsand one loss away from elimination, old habits are beginning to creep back up.

After the Game 3 loss, which saw the Pacers blow an 18 point lead and allow the Celtics to take the lead at the very end of the fourth quarter, Carlisle ended his postgame press conference heated. He claimed that they will be “going after” the league after they apparently missed some calls. Through these playoffs, it has become clear that NBA officiating has become the Pacers’ primary rival.

“New York Can Get Ready”

Pacers’ frustration with officiating became apparent against the Knicks

On May 9, 2024, Carlisle and the Pacers submitted 78 instances in which they felt the officials made an incorrect or non-call that they felt put them at a disadvantage in the first two games of the Knicks series. The Knicks took Game 1 by a score of 121-117, and Carlisle submitted 29 instances of questionable decisions he found in that game.

Even more so was Game 2, which the Knicks won by a score of 130-121. Carlisle claimed that the Pacers found a whopping 49 plays in that game in which the calls did not go their way. He would be ejected in that game after arguing the reversal of a double-dribble violation, which could have given the Pacers a late lead, but was the correct call.

The league’s Two Minute Report (L2M) following the game found that the majority of the calls were, indeed, correct. That, of course, did not and could not alter the outcome of those games.

It is possible, however, that the Pacers learned to move on from their mistakes. They would go on to take the next two games, evening up the series, and then eventually take the series in seven.

Conspiracy of Market Sizes

Carlisle claimed the league favors larger market teams over smaller ones

During the Pacers’ scrum with the officials, Carlisle spun a narrative that he felt the league was targeting the Pacers more than the Knicks due to market size. The Pacers’ playoff run has been one of narratives, and this one by Carlisle ended up getting him fined $35,000.

Carlisle expressed frustration that the league was not giving the Pacers a fair shot at winning, due to the fact that Indianapolis is a smaller market than New York, and having them advance would draw fewer numbers than if the Knicks advanced.

This narrative has been proven false, however, as during this time, several other teams around the league from smaller markets than Indianapolis had been competing in the playoffs. Oklahoma City is the third-smallest market in the NBA, much smaller than Indianapolis, but the Thunder were deep into the second round at the time.

Denver is not exactly the largest market either, but that did not stop the Nuggets from winning the NBA Finals in 2023. Similarly, Milwaukee is one of the smallest markets in the NBA, and the Bucks won the Finals in 2021.

Countless examples of larger market teams failing while smaller market teams thrive exist and can be seen in today’s NBA landscape, as teams no longer need to be from large markets to draw stars and generate revenue.

More Non-Calls, Now Down 0-3

The Pacers have demonstrated frustration with the league again, now against the Celtics

Despite the Pacers taking the series against the Knicks despite their countless complaints, those complaints reared their ugly head once again. The Pacers complained after a non-call in Game 1 which saw Jaylen Brown make contact Pascal I’m sorrycausing Siakam to turn over the ball.

It was not called a foul, and it allowed the Celtics to tie the game with three seconds remaining, and subsequently win it in overtime. Then, after the Pacers found themselves down 0-3 to the Celtics, after blowing another late lead, Carlisle expressed his frustration towards the officiating once more.

It is undeniable that the accuracy of officiating has always been an issue in not only the NBA, but in all of the major sports leagues. Referees are human, and therefore are not perfect. Calls are missed, and claims of the replay review room working under narratives are always spun.

Did Carlisle have a point in some instances? Perhaps. But as Tyrese Haliburton said after Game 2 of the second round, “Let’s not pretend like [officiating] is the only reason we lost; we just didn’t play good enough.”

It has become clear through these playoffs that the Pacers have made NBA officiating their primary rival, and not the teams they have faced. They will have one more chance to forego these demons and right the ship on Monday night against the Celtics, otherwise it will be curtains for their 2024 campaign.

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