A Wild Sequence at the End of the Pistons/ Knicks Game Led to a No-Call, Which Monty Williams Addressed Post-game.
Monty Williams unleashed his frustration on Monday night following a contentious ending to the Detroit Pistons’ clash against the New York Knicks. The Pistons’ head coach vehemently criticized the officiating after what he perceived as a glaring missed call during a chaotic sequence in the final moments at Madison Square Garden. Williams passionately addressed the referees and the league for nearly a minute before abruptly exiting the interview room following the Pistons’ narrow 113-111 loss to the Knicks. His impassioned comments will likely result in a fine from the league in the coming days.
A Wild Finishing Sequence in New York City
KNICKS UNREAL ENDING TO WIN IT 😱
WHAT A GAME. pic.twitter.com/U8jQKXt8sf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 27, 2024
Williams’ outrage stemmed from the wild sequence in the game’s closing seconds. With the Pistons clinging to a one-point lead, both teams struggled to secure possession as the Knicks repeatedly misfired on shot attempts. Amidst the chaos, Ausar Thompson gained control of the ball and initiated a fast break.
However, before Thompson could advance, Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo dove for the ball, inadvertently tripping Thompson in the process. Despite the clear contact, no foul was called on the play. Jalen Brunson capitalized on the loose ball, finding Josh Hart for a crucial layup, followed by a successful free throw, ultimately sealing the victory for the Knicks.
refs will literally call a foul when a player breathes on someone too heavily and somehow swallowed their whistle here? nah i’d be livid pic.twitter.com/2M2t4SnsA0
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) February 27, 2024
Monty Williams Sounds Off
Monty Williams goes off on the officiating tonight.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 27, 2024
Pistons head coach Monty Williams did not hold back in his post-game press conference. When he discussed the final play and the calls that have seemingly gone against the Pistons recently.
“The absolute worst call of the season, no call. Enough’s enough,” Williams said to reporters. “We’ve done it the right way, we’ve called the league, we’ve sent in clips. We’re sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again. We had a chance to win the game, and the guy dove into Ausar’s legs, and there was a no call. That was an abomination. You cannot miss that in an NBA game. Period.”
“That situation is exhibit A to what we’ve been dealing with all season long, and enough’s enough,” Williams said. “You cannot dive into a guy’s legs in a big time game like that, and there be a no call. It’s ridiculous, and we’re tired of it. We just want a fair game called, period. And I’ve got nothing else to say. We want a fair game, and that was not fair. I’m done.”
While acknowledging the game’s physical nature, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau declined to delve into the specific sequence when questioned post-game. Crew chief James Williams later admitted that upon review, a foul should have been called on DiVincenzo. However, as the call was not made in real-time, it proved inconsequential to the game’s outcome.
Brunson spearheaded the Knicks’ offense with an impressive 35-point, 12-assist performance, guiding them to their 35th win of the season and solidifying their fourth-place standing in the Eastern Conference. Hart contributed 23 points and eight rebounds, while DiVincenzo chipped in with 21 points, highlighted by his sharpshooting from beyond the arc.
Cade Cunningham scored 32 points on the Pistons’ side, accompanied by a double-double effort from Jalen Duren, who tallied 11 points and 16 rebounds. Despite their valiant efforts, the Pistons suffered their 49th loss of the season, maintaining the league’s worst record. They will look to regroup as they face the Chicago Bulls in their next matchup on Tuesday night.
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