A controversial no-call marred the ending of Sunday’s Knicks-Pistons playoff thriller, overshadowing an epic 94-93 Knicks comeback victory.
During Detroit’s final possession, guard Tim Hardaway Jr. took the last shot from the corner after getting the loose ball following a Pistons miss. Before he released, Knicks forward Josh Hart ran into him, influencing his shot, which missed the rim.
Had the call been made, Hardaway Jr. would have had three free throws with roughly 1.6 seconds left, giving the Pistons a golden chance to tie the series at 2-2.
Instead, they’re in a 3-1 hole and need a road win on Tuesday to keep the series — and their season — alive.
Making the loss even more painful, the Pistons wasted one of the greatest individual playoff games in franchise history.
Point guard Cade Cunningham had a triple-double, ending the game with 25 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Per Stathead, he became just the second player in team history to record a playoff triple-double, joining Hall of Famer Isaiah Thomas, who achieved the feat twice (1986, 1989).
The controversial ending is also unfortunate because Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and point guard Jalen Brunson should be remembered most from the win.
Towns made some stunning shots down the stretch, falling out of bounds along the baseline on a two-point attempt late in the shot clock and drilling a 27-foot three that gave the Knicks the 94-93 lead.
He finished second on the Knicks with 27 points. Brunson, who exited the game in the second half with a lower-body injury, returned in the fourth, scoring 15 of his game-high 32 points.
Sunday’s playoff matinee between the Knicks and Pistons had outstanding performances on both sides, but officials made the deciding play, turning what came before it into a footnote.
