It’s the Finals. I’ve worked my whole life to be here. I want to be out there to compete… if I can walk, I want to play.”

On Monday night after the Indiana Pacers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-109 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Haliburton's coach admitted he's playing injured. During his postgame press conference, Rick Carlisle said that Haliburton’s leg injury was still, clearly, having an impact on his ability to perform on the court.

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle offered an impassioned and somewhat unprompted defense of referee Scott Foster on Sunday, evidently aware of the mountains of online criticism that came after Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle offered an impassioned and somewhat unprompted defense of referee Scott Foster, evidently aware of mountains of online criticism.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle on Sunday decried the swell of public criticism of the officiating that flowed following the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 4 win in the 2025 NBA Finals, describing the carping on perceived mistaken calls and non-calls — specifically those involving longtime NBA referee Scott Foster — as,

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle defended NBA Finals referee Scott Foster amidst ... Foster called 23 fouls in Game 4, 11 on Indiana and 12 on OKC. The teams shot 71 free throws combined. MUSSATTO: OKC Thunder's comeback win in NBA Finals Game 4 vs.