Pacers’ Carlisle fined $35,000 by NBA for criticizing referees, implying bias against small markets

NEW YORK — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Friday for criticizing officials and “calling into question the integrity of the league” with his calls for fairness for small market teams.

Carlisle made his comments following the Pacers’ 130-121 loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday. He was called for two technical fouls and ejected late in the game as Indiana fell into a 2-0 hole in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Carlisle complained about a number of missed calls, which the Pacers then sent to the league for review, which implied bias in favor of New York.

“Small-market teams deserve an equal opportunity,” he said. “They deserve a fair chance no matter where they play.”

The Pacers on Thursday sent 78 plays they believed to have been poorly officiated in the first two games to the NBA office for review, a person with knowledge of the action said Thursday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Pacers nor the league publicly confirmed that the pieces had in fact been sent.

Carlisle had said the Pacers had identified 29 plays that they said were in error in the first game – the referees had already recognized one of them for a kicking violation that they said was called in a manner incorrect – which meant 49 more in Game 2.

The Pacers host Game 3 Friday night.

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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.

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