In Monday night’s game against the Houston Rockets, the New York Knicks lost by a slim margin of 105-103, drawing controversy surrounding them. But it was a controversial call in the final seconds of the game that had the Knicks reeling, not the Rockets’ victory, that took center stage.
With just 0.1 seconds remaining, Jalen Brunson was controversially called for a foul on Aaron Holiday, setting up Holiday for a free shot and securing Houston’s victory. This proved to be the game-winning play. The Knicks camp was quick to criticize the call, with several saying that Brunson’s actions did not justify a fouL
The Knicks didn’t hesitate to move as soon as the game’s dust cleared on the court. Tuesday night, reports—thanks to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski—surfaced that the Knicks planned to lodge a protest with the league over the contested call. This move was made in spite of the Knicks having no scheduled games against the Rockets, which eliminated any possibility of the team playing OT again.
When it became known that the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report and the game’s crew chief, Ed Malloy, had both admitted to the error on the call, the Knicks’ protest gained momentum. While the league’s later report revealed that Brunson had legitimately contested the shot, Malloy explicitly acknowledged the referees’ mistake in his post-game remarks.
The Knicks face a formidable task because past evidence indicates that NBA demonstrations are ineffective. Nonetheless, the particulars of this case may make the odds work in their favor. Given the circumstances surrounding the game’s final play and the support of the league and the crew chief, the Knicks are in a position to seek justice in what may develop into the
