New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau expressed his frustration at the post-game press conference following his team`s 100-94 defeat to the Detroit Pistons in Game 2 of their playoff series. This loss tied the series 1-1, giving the Pistons home-court advantage.
Thibodeau was particularly concerned about the disparity in free throw attempts, which heavily favored the Pistons. Detroit shot significantly more free throws (28 of 34) compared to the Knicks (16 of 19), despite the Pistons committing more fouls (24-22).
`The free throw difference was massive,` Thibodeau stated. `I need to review it closely. I`m puzzled how clear drives to the basket for our players aren`t resulting in fouls. My only concern is consistent officiating on both ends of the court. If marginal contact on drives by players like Cunningham leads to free throws, then similar plays by our player Jalen Brunson should also be rewarded with free throws. It`s a matter of fairness.`
Especially in the first half, it appeared the Pistons were benefiting from close calls. They reached the free-throw line 14 times before the Knicks even had a single attempt. New York`s first free throws didn`t come until only 17 seconds remained in the second quarter.
`You definitely sense that during the game,` Knicks guard Josh Hart commented. `I`ll let others analyze it further. It was definitely something to notice. You all can draw your own conclusions.`
Cunningham, after a difficult Game 1, performed much better in Game 2, aided by what seemed like a more favorable whistle. He scored 33 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out three assists, shooting 10 of 12 from the free-throw line. His free throw attempts more than doubled from Game 1.
Jalen Duren and Dennis Schroder also contributed to the Pistons` free throw count with six attempts each. In total, six Pistons players went to the free-throw line, while only three Knicks players attempted free throws, with Brunson taking the majority of their attempts.
While it`s understandable for Thibodeau to defend his team and try to influence the referees before Game 3, many outside of New York might not sympathize with complaints about Brunson not getting enough free throws.
Brunson is known for drawing fouls and indeed shot 9 of 11 free throws on Monday, contributing to his 37 points. Despite the Knicks` complaints, the Pistons could also argue about some calls Brunson received in the second half. Brunson has now attempted 21 free throws in the first two games of the series.
With at least three more games in this series, and given the physical nature of the Pistons and Brunson`s style of play, officiating will likely remain a talking point.
Jasper Hawthorne