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.

Pacers fans laid some of the blame for Indiana's Game 4 loss at the feet of Scott Foster, but Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stood up for him Sunday.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is having none of it. He spent a part of his Sunday NBA Finals media availability defending Foster. He had a similar moment earlier in the championship series when ESPN's Doris Burke was heavily criticized for her commentary.