Referee’s scandalous decision has overshadowed the NBA playoffs following Game 2 between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. The NBA has confirmed officiating errors that disadvantaged the Sixers, contributing to their 2-0 series deficit.
In a critical admission, the NBA recognized that referees missed four calls in the last two minutes of Monday night’s game. These included two decisive mistakes that directly affected the game’s result. The controversial sequence unfolded as Jalen Brunson’s 3-pointer brought the Knicks within two points.
Subsequently, as Kyle Lowry passed the ball to Tyrese Maxey, both Brunson and Josh Hart interfered with Maxey, leading to his fall. Despite these fouls, no calls were made, and the Knicks took possession, setting up Donte DiVincenzo’s game-winning three-pointer.
Further errors noted in the NBA’s Last 2 Minute Report included a missed defensive three-second violation on OG Anunoby and a foul by Joel Embiid on DiVincenzo.
These officiating oversights have intensified the scrutiny on NBA referees, prompting Sixers coach Nick Nurse to criticize the officials for ignoring his timeout request during the key inbound play. Although the NBA acknowledged Nurse’s attempt, it confirmed the referees did not see it.
The league’s public acknowledgement of these errors is expected to heighten the examination of officiating standards, possibly influencing future discussions on the role of instant replay and officiating protocols during pivotal playoff moments.
As the series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET, the focus on referees and the controversy from Game 2 will likely attract widespread attention from fans and sports analysts.
