The Knicks are just better than the Pacers and officiating has nothing to do with that

If the Pacers were up, I'd bet the officiating wouldn't be a problem

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thank you so much for rocking with us this morning. We appreciate you.

Rick Carlisle is a veteran NBA coach who has been around the block more than a few times. This guy knows what he’s doing. That’s why I could only let out a chuckle when I watched his postgame press conference calling out the officials after Game 2 between the Knicks and Pacers.

Indiana had a file with 78 calls the team felt went against it between Games 1 and 2. Carlisle said the file was going to the NBA immediately after the game.

“I can promise you that we’re going to submit these tonight,” Carlisle told reporters after the game. “New York can get ready. They’ll see ’em too. I’m always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot.”

This is a veteran coaching move by Carlisle. We always see this in the NBA — especially during the playoffs. When a team feels it’s being wronged by the officials, it voices a complaint to sway the whistle further to its side the next game. It usually comes from the team down in the series.

I don’t doubt Carlisle truly feels like his team is getting an unfair whistle in this one. Between the offensive foul on Myles Turner and a (correctly but weirdly!) overturned double-dribble call on Isaiah Hartenstein, it’s been a rough go for Indiana.

But guess what? Every team tracks these “bad” calls for this reason. So when it comes time to submit something to the league and complain to get a better whistle, they can do it.

If New York wanted to counter with its file, I’m almost certain it could. The Knicks would probably have some legitimate gripes in there, too. Because that’s the thing about bad officiating — it usually goes both ways.

Officials aren’t perfect. They’re bound to make mistakes and be inconsistent. It always happens. Sometimes, that inconsistency comes at the wrong time. But that doesn’t mean the NBA has some sort of conspiracy going to get the Knicks to the Finals.

The Knicks have just been better. Period. New York is playing, like, seven dudes right now and OG Anunoby will probably miss some time with that hamstring injury.

Still, New York is outhustling Indiana. They’re beating them on the glass. I mean, Josh Hart is literally sneaking through crowds of Pacers and stealing rebounds on both ends while playing every second of these games. It’s been happening all series.

Josh Hart – 4 offensive rebounds, NONE of them simple. Each demonstrating extraordinary pursuit despite not sitting for a second of this game, leading directly to 8 NYK points.

Inspiring performance. pic.twitter.com/fv8mDFKi4A

— Rit Holtzman (@BenRitholtzNBA) May 7, 2024

That’s why Indiana is losing. It’s not because of bad calls. It’s not because of preferential treatment. It’s because they’re being outworked by a depleted Knicks team. They’re not defending well.

Officiating ain’t changing that. It has nothing to do with what market the Pacers play in. Indiana just needs to be better. Period.

Chill on Nikola Jokic

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

To the apparent chagrin of so many NBA fans, Nikola Jokic was announced as the NBA’s MVP for the third time in four seasons on Wednesday.

Maybe it was just my Twitter algorithm algorithming, but there seemed to be so many people upset about Jokic winning this award. People were legitimately saying that Shai Gilgeious-Alexander was “robbed” here.

Among those people is Shaq, who is actually one of the Big Honey’s biggest fans. O’Neal told him to his face that SGA deserved the MVP.

Shaquille O'Neal tells his "vice president of the Big Man Alliance" Nikola Jokic that he did not think The Joker should win his 3rd MVP this year pic.twitter.com/f5jAciL5Th

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 8, 2024

On one hand, I respect the fact that he told him to his face. On the other, way to stomp on a moment for the guy, Shaq.

Look, there’s nothing wrong with feeling like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserved the award. You can even feel he was incorrectly snubbed here. I might agree with you — he averaged 30.1 points per game on the best team in the West.

But Nikola Jokic nearly averaged a 25-point triple-double with a 65 percent true shooting mark. Their teams also have the same record — OKC holds the tiebreaker so it’s the No. 1 team in the West.

The overreaction has just been so ridiculous here. Part of it is because the Nuggets are down 2-0 to the Timberwolves. Another part of it is that people just seem to be tired of Jokic winning MVPs.

But the guy is that good, man. He deserved it. SGA would’ve, too. But nobody is served by people overreacting like this. Everyone needs to chill.

Champion’s League insanity

(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Bayern Munich seemed to be headed for a shot at glory on Wednesday for most of its match against Real Madrid.

Bayern led 1-0 for 87 minutes until Joselu scored two straight goals in the 88th minute and 90+2 minutes of the game. It was unreal. The journeyman scored the two biggest goals of his career to send Madrid back to the Champions League final. It was insane.

It also wasn’t without controversy. Bayern had another shot to score and tie the game at 2-2 which would’ve sent it into extra time. Here’s Pro Soccer Wire’s Nick Wojton with more:

“Deep into stoppage time, and shortly after Real had staged a stunning comeback to take the lead, Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt appeared to have equalize the game at 2-2.

That would have sent the dramatic semifinal to extra time, but a quick whistle from referee Szymon Marciniak ended the play, which might not have even been offside. Because of the fast stop, VAR was not allowed to review the play.

Bayern couldn’t believe the outcome, and the match — and the club’s Champions League dreams — ended moments later.”

This was a finish for the ages. The drama, the intrigue. Everything about it feels like it was written in Hollywood. This is insane.

Madrid will see Dortmund in the final on June 1. Can’t wait

Quick hits: Tyrese Haliburton agrees with me … Which rookie QBs will play this year? … and more

— Tyrese Haliburton says the refs have nothing to do with why the Pacers are getting cooked. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.

— Cory Woodroof gives his thoughts on which rookie QBs have the best chance of playing this upcoming season in the NFL.

— David Pastrnak getting permission to fight is hilarious. Charles Curtis has more.

— Here’s Meg Hall with everything you need to know about this upcoming WNBA season.

— Here are all 9 players in NBA history with at least three MVP awards.

— Here’s Blake Schuster on Wilson Contreras’ injury proving how silly it is to sit catchers right where batters swing.

That’s a wrap, folks. See you tomorrow. Peace.

-Sykes