The New York Knicks secured a crucial 94-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, pushing their lead to 3-1 in the first-round playoff series. The win came after a contentious final play that saw a no-call by officials, sparking controversy and prompting heated reactions from both teams.
With 11.1 seconds left on the clock, Pistons star Cade Cunningham took a shot from the left elbow but missed. Tim Hardaway Jr. received the rebound in the corner and attempted a shot before the buzzer sounded. However, Knicks guard Josh Hart drew contact while attempting the shot, and the officials failed to call a foul.
After the game, officials admitted that they made a mistake, stating that Hart’s defensive play was “judged as legal” during live play but later determined to be “more than marginal” in post-game review. Hart also acknowledged making contact with Hardaway Jr., but left it unclear whether it was legal or not.
Despite the controversy, the Knicks overcame the missed call to secure the win. Jalen Brunson led the team with 32 points and 11 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 27 points and nine rebounds. The Pistons, however, outrebounded the Knicks by 16 and outscored them in the paint by 16 points.
Cade Cunningham had a standout performance for the Pistons, recording a playoff triple-double with 25 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. The series now shifts to Game 5 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will look to close out the Pistons and advance to the next round.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-playoffs-knicks-beat-pistons-in-game-4-after-controversial-no-call-that-set-off-coach-jb-bickerstaff-195643869.html