OKLAHOMA CITY — Indiana Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle crossed the practice court Sunday and smirked when he realized a line of video cameras and cellphones was tracking his every step. “There’s nothing exciting going on over here,” he said.

Veteran NBA referee Scott Foster drew criticism for his officiating in Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Friday, but Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle came to his defense.

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.