Complex sentence: In 2004, the news media criticized the NBA for scheduling a game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers, as it was the first time since their brawl that the two teams were facing each other.
Split into simpler sentences: In 2004, the NBA was criticized for scheduling a game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. It was the first time since their brawl that the two teams had faced each other.