Animosity growing between Knicks, Pacers as Josh Hart slams ‘idiotic’ Rick Carlisle

INDIANAPOLIS – Just before Rick Carlisle was fined by the NBA for “questioning the integrity of the league,” Josh Hart said the Pacers coach was “disrespectful” to the Knicks and their Game 2 victory.

“Rick’s saying whatever he feels. It has nothing to do with us. But at the end of the day, I think it’s pretty disrespectful to us,” Hart said Friday at Knicks shootaround. “Because at the end of the day, we’re out there competing and playing at a high level. It’s not about officiating. It’s not about anything like that. For him to discredit how we’re playing, I feel like that’s pretty disrespectful.”

Carlisle’s postgame rant after Wednesday’s Game 2 targeted the discrepancy in calls, implied the referees were rigging the Knicks’ 130-121 victory for the big-market team. The coach also cited Hart for “shoving” Tyrese Haliburton from behind when “the whole world knows that Haliburton‘s got a bad back.”

The Hart-Haliburton play occurred in the third quarter and, while there was clear contact from behind, Haliburton never lost possession. Haliburton has been dealing with back spasms.

Asked about Carlisle’s comment, Hart rolled his eyes and pushed back on the idea that his shove on the Pacers point guard was dirty.

“If you look, I hit the ball. Might I have bumped him a little bit? Yeah, I’m running full speed,” Hart said. “He’s running full speed and he’s in front of me. I’m trying to make a play on the ball.”

Carlisle, who was ejected late in Game 2 and submitted 78 “missed calls” from the series for the league to review, predictably drew the wrath of the NBA by stating in his postgame rant that “small market (teams) deserve a fair shot.” The league announced Friday that Carlisle was fined $35,000 for “public criticism of the officiating and questioning the integrity of the league and its officials.”

Hart, who played in two of the biggest markets (L.A. and New York) and two of the smallest (Portland and New Orleans), called Carlisle’s suggestion “idiotic.”

“That’s so stupid, bro,” Hart said. “I mean, we’re going to say the big market always wins? The Knicks ain’t won a [championship] in 51 years. So obviously that don’t hold much weight. I don’t fully understand that. Sorry, New York, for the reminder [about the 51-year drought]. But I think that’s just idiotic. At the end of the day it’s who’s playing the best. I’ve never seen a ref shoot a free throw or make a three or miss a rotation.”

In the first two games, the Pacers took 36 foul shots compared to the Knicks’ 48. Indiana was also whistled for more fouls, 48-to-36.

However, those numbers are also a continuation of a regular-season trend. The Pacers committed more fouls (21.4 per game) and surrendered more free-throw attempts (25.98) than any team in the NBA.

The Knicks, meanwhile, only committed 17.65 fouls per game and 19.76 foul shots. Part of that is about pace – Indiana plays much faster, and more possessions typically mean more fouls. But the Knicks organization was also upset with the way Jalen Brunson was being officiated in the opening two games, according to sources, believing he wasn’t getting enough calls.

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“It’s not about who complains the most — small market, big market, whatever,” Hart said. “It’s about going out there and playing the game and competing at a high level. Especially last game, I don’t think you would have seen anyone on the court complaining or yelling at the refs as much as I did. You know what I mean? But at the end of the day they’re human. They’re going to make good calls, going to make bad calls. … [T]hat doesn’t affect how us as players should approach the game, how us as players play the game and it shouldn’t take away from anything that us or the other team is doing.”