The NBA denied the New York Knicks’ protest disputing their 105-103 loss to the Houston Rockets on Feb. 12.
With the score tied at 103, Rockets guard Aaron Holiday chucked up a prayer 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining. Referee Jacyn Goble called a foul on Knicks guard Jalen Brunson for running into the shooter. Holiday then sunk two of three free-throw attempts to win the game for Houston.
After the game, crew chief Ed Malloy admitted in an interview Brunson made “incidental contact” and a foul should not have been called, which would have sent the game into overtime tied at 103.
“Under the standard for NBA game protests, New York was required to demonstrate that there was a misapplication of the official playing rules,” the NBA said in a statement. “As opposed to an error in judgement by game officials. Because the foul call at issue reflected an error in judgement, New York did not demonstrate a misapplication of the playing rules, and the extraordinary remedy of upholding a game protest was not warranted.”
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/zdF29Swrva
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 28, 2024
If the Knicks won the protest, New York and Houston would have played a five-minute overtime period to determine the winner.
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(Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
