Monty Williams, coach of the Detroit Pistons, expressed intense frustration after what he deemed “an abysmal” missed call during their loss to the New York Knicks. The pivotal moment occurred when Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo collided with Detroit forward Ausar Thompson in the chaotic final moments, allowing Josh Hart to secure the decisive basket with only 2.8 seconds remaining. Williams asserted that it was “the absolute worst call of the season” in his post-game comments.
The New York Knicks clinched a contentious 113-111 victory over the Detroit Pistons, with Pistons coach Monty Williams condemning a decision he labeled as the “absolute worst call of the season.”
Williams and the Pistons believed there was a crucial missed call with 8.5 seconds remaining, when Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo collided with Detroit forward Ausar Thompson, denying the Pistons a chance to potentially salvage the game in the final moments.
“The absolute worst call of the season,” Williams emphasized after the game. “No call, and it’s just too much. We’ve played the game the right way.”
“We’ve reached out to the league, submitted video evidence, and yet we’re constantly met with the same responses. It’s frustrating beyond words.
“We were in a position to secure the win, but then a player blatantly crashes into Ausur’s legs, and there’s no call. It’s disgraceful. Such a crucial moment cannot be overlooked in an NBA game. It’s as simple as that.
“I’m done discussing it. My players are fed up, constantly asking, ‘What else can we do, Coach?’ This incident is a prime example of the challenges we’ve faced all season long, and it’s time for it to stop.”
JOSH HART WINS IT FOR THE KNICKS ‼️🗽 https://t.co/HhDCaA9Rrh pic.twitter.com/Xast3E2lCQ
— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2024
Clearly incensed by the decision, Williams emphasized, “In a high-stakes game like that, you can’t just crash into someone’s legs and get away with it. It’s absurd, and we’ve had enough. We simply want a fair game called. That’s all there is to it. I have nothing more to add. All we ask for is fairness, and that call was anything but fair.”
Josh Hart’s crucial basket with just 2.8 seconds left, following Jalen Brunson’s missed three-pointer, ignited a chaotic sequence that included three turnovers and the contentious no-call. The defeat marked the Pistons’ sixth consecutive loss, while the Knicks bolstered their Eastern Conference standing after rebounding from a prior loss to the Boston Celtics.
“We came out on top. This is the NBA; we’ll take a win however it comes. It doesn’t matter how messy it gets,” commented Knicks guard Hart.
Reflecting on the officiating mishap in a previous game against the Houston Rockets, Hart remarked, “I’ve seen some wild things happen in basketball. Whether you believe in basketball gods or not, crazy occurrences are par for the course in an 82-game season.”
In other matchups, the Toronto Raptors secured their third consecutive victory with a 130-122 win over the Indiana Pacers, while the Brooklyn Nets handed the Memphis Grizzlies a resounding 111-86 defeat.
In the lone remaining game, the Miami Heat extended their winning streak to four games with a 121-110 triumph over the Sacramento Kings.
TNT Sports now offers the exclusive live sports coverage previously held by BT Sport in partnership with Discovery. This includes a wide range of premium events such as the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing, and WWE. In the UK, fans can access TNT Sports through the streaming platform discovery+, which offers a subscription package encompassing TNT Sports, Eurosport, and a variety of entertainment content all in one place.
