After the New York Knicks narrowly secured a 113-111 victory against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, thanks in part to a glaring missed call in the final 8.5 seconds, Pistons coach Monty Williams unleashed a tirade, expressing frustration over what he perceived as a season-long pattern of officiating mistreatment.
Williams labeled the missed call involving Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo’s collision with Pistons forward Ausar Thompson as the “absolute worst call of the season.” He vented his frustration, stating that they have followed the proper channels, reported incidents to the league, and sent in video clips but continue to face similar issues repeatedly.
In the controversial play, DiVincenzo collided with Thompson, leading to a no-call, and ultimately impacting the game’s outcome. Referee James Williams, acknowledging the error in a postgame report, stated that it should have been called a foul.
Despite this admission, the missed call fueled the Pistons’ sense of injustice, particularly after a similar situation in the previous game where they believed a travel should have been called. Cade Cunningham, who had an outstanding performance with 32 points, expressed his frustration, describing the team as “livid.”
The chaotic sequence leading to the missed call included a series of events starting with a missed 3-pointer by Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. The ensuing plays involved contentious moments, with Williams defending some decisions while acknowledging others as correct.
Adding to Detroit’s dismay was the fact that the game was initially scheduled to be played in Detroit but was moved to New York due to a rescheduled home game for the Knicks.
The Knicks, on the other hand, seemed less perturbed by the officiating controversy, with Josh Hart stating that unexpected events are part of an 82-game season. The sentiment on the court, however, was one of discord, leaving both teams with divergent views on the game’s outcome.
