In a thrilling game that concluded in dramatic fashion, the New York Knicks edged out the Detroit Pistons 118-116 on Wednesday night. The thrill crescendoed with only 0.5 seconds remaining on the clock. Jalen Brunson feeling good going up to the free-throw line after getting fouled by Pistons guard Ausar Thompson. The fumble in question ignited a national firestorm over officiating calls and a firestorm of player and coach frustration.
With 3.5 seconds remaining on the clock, Brunson was fouled, sending Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau into action. He instructed Brunson to purposefully miss his next free throw. This tactic would ensure that the Pistons wouldn’t be able to grab the rebound and gain possession of the ball. With 4.4 seconds remaining, Brunson did hit his first free throw to put the Knicks up two.
Their fortunes changed when Brunson caught an inbound pass near half court from teammate Mikal Bridges. He has great hands too — catches the ball beautifully. Initially his body looked to be established in the frontcourt, but his momentum would quickly thrust him back into the backcourt. Crew chief Zach Zarba noted that when Brunson touched the ball, he never established a position in the frontcourt. This created a significant amount of confusion and an unexpected ruling that surprised many observers.
High drama Brunson drove down the lane about to go up for the basket until he was fouled again by Thompson, making the moment all the more intense. The Knicks’ head coach Tom Thibodeau was understandably upset with how the situation unfolded. In particular, he was incensed that the Pistons received an improbable opportunity, which he blamed on what he termed dubious officiating.
“When it’s an inexcusable mistake like that, you should just let [the free throw shooter] go again. Because it was an intentional miss … I feel like they for sure heard Thibs [telling Brunson] to miss it. They were right next to him. You know what that is, bro.” – Unnamed source
The exhibition witnessed a barrage of players reacting to the collision after match, underscoring their thoughts on the suspect officiating. Karl-Anthony Towns credited the scorer’s table with helping create an unusual opportunity for the Pistons.
“I ain’t gonna lie to you, man; shoutout to the [scorer’s] table, man. Giving your team another chance like that is fire,” – Karl-Anthony Towns
On top of that, the game itself was a nail-biter, with both teams exchanging leads and proving just how badly they wanted to win. The Knicks maintained a slim lead for all but two minutes of the second half. On the other hand, the Pistons were equally hungry for a victory. Whether or not you supported either team, the late-game drama made the match so much more interesting. Fans were waiting until the last moment, completely absorbed by the suspense.
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