Coach Rick Carlisle: Pacers 'deserve a fair shot' from refs - ESPN

NEW YORK — The Indiana Pacers made an organizational decision to not make officiating an issue either publicly or privately earlier this week when several vital calls went against them in their Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks.

But Pacers coach Rick Carlisle abandoned the strategy Wednesday, erupting in the final minute of the Knicks' 130-121 Game 2 victory that gave them a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Carlisle received two technical fouls and was ejected. He was upset about several calls, especially when officials reversed a double-dribble violation that could have given the Pacers a key possession with the game still in doubt.

That was the opposite of what happened in Game 1, in which a kicked ball violation was called in error against the Pacers but was not corrected, a decision that ended up costing the team three vital points.

Carlisle reached his boiling point in Game 2. He said the Pacers identified 29 questionable calls they felt went unfairly against them Monday night but elected not to send them to the league office for review. They will be making another edit from Wednesday's game and sending it this time, Carlisle said.

«I decided not to submit them because I just felt like we'd get a more balanced whistle tonight. It didn't feel that way,» Carlisle said. «I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot.»

The Knicks outrebounded the Pacers 26-13 and racked up 67 points in the second half after the Pacers had taken a 10-point lead at the break. The Knicks, as is their custom, were relentless in chasing and acquiring lose balls and flying around, often causing contact.

The Madison Square Garden crowd, which was elated when star Jalen Brunson