Pacers react to controversial calls at end of Game 1 loss to Knicks
NEW YORK (WISH) — The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks added another controversial chapter to their historic rivalry Monday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
A strong fourth quarter by the Knicks pushed New York over Indiana, 121-117. Point guard Jalen Brunson scored 21 of his 43 points in the final 12 minutes. Guard Donte DiVincenzo dropped in a deep three with 40 seconds left that became the ultimate game-winner.
But less of the talk postgame was about the Knicks tough play, and more on the officiating.
Two late calls went against the Pacers in the final minute of play. The first, a kicked ball against Aaron Nesmith. Officials said postgame that that was the incorrect call; however, kicked balls can’t be reviewed in-game. That call immediately led to DiVincenzo’s three-pointer.
The second came with 12 seconds left. Myles Turner was whistled for a moving screen when DiVincenzo dropped to the ground like he was hit by a truck. Turner was candid about that call postgame.
“My experience in this league, I think it’s best when the players decide the outcome of the game,” Turner said. “I think it’s unfortunate that it happened. We reviewed it and they still called it an illegal screen, but it’s the playoffs. I feel like DiVincenzo did a good job selling it and for the most part you can’t leave the game to be decided by the refs. So we have to take accountability, as well.”
Turner added that the team was looking forward to seeing the two-minute report on any calls that were missed or incorrect come out.
Head coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t pleased with the call either but knows the team can’t harp on it.
“We’re not expecting to get calls in here. It’d be nice if they laid off that one, but they didn’t. It was one of those. That’s just the way it goes,” Carlisle said. “We challenged it. They had a bunch of people in New Jersey that agreed with them. That’s just the way it goes.”
Guard TJ McConnell’s stellar 18-point performance off the bench was completely ignored because of these late foul calls. The veteran knows that the Pacers have to move on and focus on being better the full 48 minutes in Game 2.
“We can’t worry about the officiating,” McConnell said. “They’re just trying to do their job, and there were many plays that we could have made for it not to come down to that. So that’s the stuff we got to focus on. That’s something we can’t control, but we can control plays that we could’ve made to not have it come down to that.”
The Pacers will wash away this Game 1 loss and turn their attentions to getting a win in Game 2.
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