Rick Carlisle’s Knicks whining will cost him as NBA levels fine

INDIANA — Pacers coach Rick Carlisle got fined $35,000 by the NBA Friday morning for “public criticism of the officiating and questioning the integrity of the league and its officials.”

The fine was announced by Joe Dumars, the league’s Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

Carlisle is lighter in the wallet after lighting into the refs following Indiana’s 130-121 loss to the Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at the Garden on Wednesday night.

“Small-market teams deserve an equal shot. They deserve a fair shot… no matter where they’re playing,” Carlisle said after the loss, ignoring the small-market success of Oklahoma City and perhaps even Minnesota and defending champion Denver in the Western Conference.

Of course, Carlisle’s mission — and the Pacers’ plan in submitting 78 calls they feel disadvantaged them in Games 1 and 2 to the NBA office — was really to set the stage for the rest of the series, starting with Game 3 on Friday night.

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“We deserve a fair shot, and it’s just not. There’s not a consistent balance,” Carlisle said. “And that’s disappointing. So give New York credit for the physicality that they’re playing with. But their physicality is rewarded, and ours is penalized, just time after time.”

The Pacers trail the series 0-2 as the series shifts to Indiana.