Basketball
“Y’all Got Cheated”: Ex-NBA Champ Fires Allegations on Referees Today and Their “F***ed Up” Mentors After Knicks Trumped Pacers
![“Y’all Got Cheated”: Ex-NBA Champ Fires Allegations on Referees Today and Their “F***ed Up” Mentors After Knicks Trumped Pacers “Y’all Got Cheated”: Ex-NBA Champ Fires Allegations on Referees Today and Their “F***ed Up” Mentors After Knicks Trumped Pacers](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-05-07T025521Z_1963044211_MT1USATODAY23208211_RTRMADP_3_NBA-PLAYOFFS-INDIANA-PACERS-AT-NEW-YORK-KNICKS-473x315.jpg?class=watermark)
The concerns over poor officiating in the NBA keep mounting. And if anything, the recent controversial calls during the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers have further added to it. Especially after Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle revealed the team had filed 78 (!!) complaints from just Games 1 & 2. Many NBA veterans have openly expressed their dissatisfaction with how the star players of the league are given an advantage. Speaking from his experience, seasoned NBA veteran Rasheed Wallace stated how the bad refs issue has always been present in the league and even during his era.
After former NBA guard Bonzi Wells stated his disappointment with the officiating on the Sheed & Tyler podcast, Wallace said, “Y’all getting cheated. The thing about it too, it’s a lot of these young refs with no experience, but you know who are their mentors? The other cheating a** refs that was from our era. You know, you can’t expect them to be good.” Furthermore, he detailed how there are not many good refs present currently in the league.
“Ty and I was talking off-screen about the percentage of good refs and bad refs. Oh for sure that percentage is way low for good refs. That s**t is probably like 20%. Anywhere between 10 and 20% of the ref in the NBA now are good refs,” the former Detroit Pistons star said.
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“But the other 70, 80, 90? They definitely with the program. They following the other cheating a** refs who are now head of officials. So this yeah it’s going to be f****d up. It’s sad to say you know, y’all got cheated again,” Wallace said. He also mentioned how something strange must have happened for someone like Rick Carlisle to be ejected from the game. Interestingly, the Pacers head coach has received only four technicals this season and all four are from the same ref.
The 4x NBA All-Star was known for his issues with refs during games. Sheed holds the record for most technicals received in a season with 41. On the all-time list, the 2004 NBA champ is third with 317, just behind Karl Malone and Charles Barkley. So it’s understandable why he’d have an issue with refs from today. But what happened at the Pacers and Knicks game?
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Indiana Pacers take action by filing 78 complaints overnight
Clearly, the Pacers aren’t satisfied with how the games against the New York Knicks went down. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the team has noted numerous incorrect calls from Games 1 and 2. As per reports, the Pacers identified 49 incorrect calls from their latest matchup in Game 2 and an additional 29 calls from the previous game, bringing the total to 78, which is high for a pro game.
USA Today via Reuters
May 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) shoots against New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) in the third quarter during game two of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
As Wallace mentioned earlier, Indiana Pacers coach Carlisle was ejected towards the end of Game 2 for complaining to officials. Following this incident, the coach declared that the team would take action by filing complaints. He also highlighted one specific moment from the game when no foul was called on Josh Hart for pushing Tyrese Haliburton.
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While these were certainly controversial calls, the Pacers will now be focusing on Game 3 back in Indiana. The only thing they ask for? Impartial officiating. Let’s see if they get that.