The New York Knicks have lodged a protest following their recent 105-103 loss to the Houston Rockets, driven by an acknowledgment of an incorrect call during the game.
The New York Knicks have reportedly filed a protest following their 105-103 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night, as sources informed ESPN.
The decision to file the protest was made on Tuesday evening, citing the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report and game crew chief Ed Malloy’s admission that the foul call on Knicks guard Jalen Brunson against Houston’s Aaron Holiday in the final second was incorrectly called.
During the game, Holiday made two free throws with less than a second left on the clock, intentionally missing a third to run out the clock and secure the 105-103 victory for the Rockets.
Although the Knicks and Rockets are not slated to face each other again this season, the protest aims to either force a tie game and start overtime or find an alternative resolution for the Knicks without a loss.
However, for a protest to be successful, it must demonstrate the “misapplication” of a rule, not merely a missed call. The Knicks, currently facing a three-game losing streak and grappling with injuries, are hoping for a favorable outcome as they head into the All-Star Break. The team stands at 33-21, holding the fourth position in the Eastern Conference.
The history of NBA protests shows that only six have been upheld, with the last instance occurring on December 19, 2007, when the Miami Heat’s Shaquille O’Neal was erroneously ruled to have six fouls instead of five.
The game resumed on March 8, 2008, but neither team scored during the replayed 51.9 seconds of overtime, and the Hawks ultimately won 114-111. Notably, O’Neal had been traded to the Phoenix Suns before the game resumed.
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