Andrew Nembhard with the hoop & harm
Pacers steal Game 1, could be problem for the Cavs | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor and fantasy analyst Dan Titus discuss how Indiana took Game 1 against Cleveland with a fourth quarter run behind the play of Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. Hear the full conversation on 'The Kevin O'Connor Show' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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Boston Globe
25 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle defends referee Scott Foster after criticism of officials in Game 4
'I think it's awful, some of the things I've seen about the officiating and Scott Foster in particular,' Carlisle said. 'I've known Scott Foster for 30 years. He's a great official. He's done a great job in these playoffs. We've had him a lot of times.' Advertisement Foster called 23 personal fouls in the game — 12 on Oklahoma City, 11 on Indiana, with one flagrant on each as well. He also issued double technical fouls, one going to Indiana's Obi Toppin, the other to Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'We have to do a better job not fouling,' Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton acknowledged after Game 4. Friday was Foster's 26th finals game worked, more than any other active referee. He has also worked 262 playoff games, again the most among active refs. But whenever Foster does a game, online critics tend to weigh in — almost from the moment that the league announces the crews for a given night, which happens around 9 a.m. Eastern on game days. Advertisement The league does not reveal its ranking system for referees, but Foster having worked 18 finals makes clear that he's traditionally one of the highest-rated in the league. And it should be noted that Carlisle was the 'The ridiculous scrutiny that's being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid,' Carlisle said. Carlisle got to the Foster-related comments after being asked a question Sunday about how the Pacers let a 10-point second-half lead slip away, got outscored 31-17 in the fourth quarter of Game 4 and what role he thought officiating played in that outcome. 'Tough losses are a part of a playoff series,' Carlisle said. 'It's just if this was easy, they would be pulling people off the street to play in the NBA Finals and coach and do what you guys are doing. You guys are the best in the world. Everybody else here is perceived to be the best in the world at this moment. So, it's difficult. You look at it, you take it for what it is, and it becomes pretty clear the things that you need to do to be better.' Foster is one of the 12 referees assigned to the finals. Each works one of the first four games, and then the NBA selects again to see who will work Games 5, 6 and, if necessary, Game 7 as well. If Foster doesn't work Game 6, it would seem likely that he would be a pick to work Game 7 if the series goes that far.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Chet Holmgren offers injury update ahead of Pacers-Thunder 2025 NBA Finals Game 5
Chet Holmgren offers injury update ahead of Pacers-Thunder 2025 NBA Finals Game 5 Twisting his ankle in the opening minutes, Chet Holmgren took a moment to get back up. All the seven-footer needed was to hear Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ask him to tough it out. The Oklahoma City Thunder needed him for their Game 4 win over the Indiana Pacers. Even when he tweaked it again, Holmgren held his ground. He finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds. More importantly, though, he made the Pacers regret hunting him out on the perimeter. Tyrese Haliburton couldn't get past him and settled for difficult shots that missed. The Pacers were on the wrong side of a comeback. For the first time in the NBA playoffs, really. The Thunder outscored them 31-17 in the fourth quarter. Indiana only scored one point in the final three minutes. Holmgren has been a vital piece to OKC's success. Any worries about a nagging ankle injury were extinguished. He said in Sunday's NBA Finals practice that his ankle is fine. He moved around normally when the media were allowed to watch the final 30 minutes of practice. Expect Holmgren to flirt with 40 minutes in a pivotal Game 5. It's that time of the year. The last two teams standing are deep enough into the summer that most are dealing with something. Barring a serious injury, don't expect anybody to miss the remainder of the NBA Finals.
Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Indianapolis Star
Pacers' Rick Carlisle calls criticism of official Scott Foster 'unfair, unjust and stupid'
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Pacers fans and even some members of the media laid some of the blame for Indiana's fourth-quarter collapse Friday in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on veteran official and crew chief Scott Foster. On Friday night Pacers coach Rick Carlisle noted that committing 10 fourth-quarter fouls was an issue, but then in practice day availability on Sunday in Oklahoma City, Carlisle rose passionately in the defense of Foster and the officiating. "As far as officiating, I think it's awful some of the things I've seen about the officiating, and Scott Foster in particular," Carlisle told reporters in Oklahoma City. "I've known Scott Foster for 30 years. He is a great official. He has done a great job in these playoffs. We've had him a lot of times. The ridiculous scrutiny that is being thrown out there is terrible and unfair and unjust and stupid." Carlisle was then asked what commentary came his way that he thought was particularly out of line. "I'm not getting into it," Carlisle said. "I've said what I'm going to say. If you have another question, ask it. If not, we'll move on." The reporter who asked did have another question on Pascal Siakam. Criticism of Foster was all over social media and the broader internet on Friday night and found some level of validation from Bill Simmons, former ESPN columnist and personality, and founder of The Ringer. On a podcast with The Ringer's Zach Lowe, Simmons called Foster's performance, "Just an abomination. It was typical Scott Foster. All-over-the-map. Just involved. Weird stoppages. Missed calls. Calling touch fouls then not calling somebody getting clubbed in the head. They had no control over this entire game. There was over 70 free throws. Both coaches were mad. Both benches were mad." Simmons didn't indicate that the Thunder were getting preference over the Pacers and did argue that fouls were called against the Thunder in the fourth quarter that hadn't been called all game. The Pacers were called for 27 personal fouls, but the Thunder were called for 26. The Pacers shot 33 free throws to the Thunder's 38. The Thunder were 12 of 14 from the line in the fourth quarter while the Pacers were 7 of 10 with Bennedict Mathurin missing three key free throws in the game's final minute.
