The NBA just acknowledged that a mistake was made in the closing seconds of Monday’s game between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks.
The game’s outcome was affected by a contentious call, which also exposed a crucial instance in which the officials erred.
It was noted in the NBA’s Last Two Minute report that guard Jalen Brunson of the Knicks had really competed for Aaron Holiday of the Rockets’ late three-point attempt.
In spite of this, the officials called a foul, and the Knicks lost by a slim margin of 105-103. This contentious choice destroyed what could have been an engrossing game and stopped the action’s heartbeat.
With barely eight and a half seconds remaining in the last quarter, Brunson scored four straight points to tie the score at 103-103.
But with just.1 second remaining, he was called for a foul on Holiday, and that’s when the game changed. Holiday successfully made the first two free throws but purposefully missed the final one.
Referee crew chief Ed Malloy acknowledged in a post-game interview that the call was incorrect, saying Brunson’s initial contact was accidental rather than intentional.
He declared, “The offensive player was able to return to a normal playing position on the floor after seeing it during postgame review.”
“Therefore, the contact that happened after the ball was released is incidental and insignificant to the shot attempt and should not have been called.”
Even though Brunson was the recipient of the contentious ruling, he remained professional and refrained from criticizing the officials’ incapacity. He frequently said, “Great call,” in response to questions. Next query.
The Knicks’ record now stands at 33-21 after the setback, which was their third straight loss.
It makes sense that the Knicks’ performance has suffered with important players like swingman OG Anunoby (elbow injury) and star big Julius Randle (shoulder injury) out with injuries.
The Knicks are prepared to return to winning ways when they play the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Their last effort before taking a break during All-Star week is this game.
