Pat McAfee Sends Terse Message to NBA on Finals Referees
Pat McAfee Sends Terse Message to NBA on Finals Referees originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Generally speaking, the complaint-level on this year's NBA Finals between the Pacers and Thunder has been bizarrely low, especially after a run of NBA playoff games that seemed to be decidedly weighted one way or the other by missed calls. Certainly, there was no shortage of complaints about the officiating in the playoffs in the first three rounds.
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Remember back in the conference semifinals, when the Pacers were playing the Cavaliers, and Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson seemed to come up with daily ref grievances? That got bad enough that Pacers coach Rick Carlisle actually complained about all the complaints.
"In two games we've been called for nine more fouls than them and they've shot nine more free throws than us," Carlisle said of Atkinson's Cavs. "It doesn't add up. We're not expecting any gifts from the referees. I don't think we got any in either of the first two games. I know they disagreed with some calls. It's all part of it. We just have to do our very best to maintain the kinda edge you gotta have."
Paul Michael Levesque, known professionally as Triple H, and Pat McAfee pose for a photo prior to game four of the eastern conference finals between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
But in the first three games of this year's Finals showdown, bad calls did not play much of a role. However, things got more and more chippy on Fridaywhich led to some questions.
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One play seemed to rankle Pacers fans. In it, Obi Toppin of the Pacers was whistled for a foul and given not only a foul but also a flagrant foul, then was assessed a technical fould as part of a double-tech following a tussle with Isaiah Hartenstein.
Pacers fans were not happy about it. And one in particular: ESPN host Pat McAfee, who wrote on Twitter/X: "Hey @NBA … these refs."
Through three quarters, though, the free-throw situations were very similar, with the Thunder trying 24 free throws and the Pacers trying 23. The Pacers led, 87-80, entering the fourth quarter.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
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