Pistons Coach Monty Williams Calls Out Referees for Missed Foul in Knicks’ Victory
In a thrilling game between the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, a missed call by the referees became the center of attention. With just 8.5 seconds left on the clock, Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo collided with Pistons forward Ausar Thompson, but no foul was called. This controversial moment led to Pistons coach Monty Williams delivering a passionate tirade against what he perceived as a season’s worth of mistreatment from the officials.
Williams wasted no time in expressing his frustration. He arrived in the media room before any reporters could get there and issued a statement about the game’s final sequence. “The absolute worst call of the season,” Williams declared. “No call, and enough’s enough. We’ve done it the right way. We’ve called the league. We’ve sent in clips. We’re sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again.”
The missed call occurred during a frenetic closing sequence, with referee James Williams, the crew chief, standing right on top of the play. In a pool report after the game, James Williams admitted that it should have been called a foul. “Upon postgame review, we determined that Thompson gets to the ball first and then was deprived of the opportunity to gain possession of the ball,” he stated.
This heartbreaking call marked the second consecutive game in which the Pistons found themselves on the wrong end of a controversial decision. In their previous game against the Orlando Magic, they believed a travel should have been called on Magic forward Paolo Banchero’s winning shot.
The frustration was palpable among the Pistons players as well. Guard Cade Cunningham, who had an outstanding performance with 32 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 blocks, expressed his anger after the game. “I’d say livid,” Cunningham said. “That’s the word of the day: livid.”
The chaotic sequence leading up to the missed call began with the ball in Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson’s hands, with 30 seconds remaining and the Knicks trailing by one point. After a missed three-pointer by Brunson, the rebound was tipped out to the corner, where Pistons guard Quentin Grimes grabbed it and passed it to Detroit forward Simone Fontecchio.
However, the ball was knocked away from Fontecchio, and Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein scooped it up and passed it to DiVincenzo. With about 10 seconds left, DiVincenzo attempted a pass to Brunson but instead threw it directly to Thompson. The collision between Thompson and DiVincenzo ensued, but no foul was called.
Despite the controversy, the Knicks capitalized on the turnover and took the lead for good, securing a 113-111 victory. For the Pistons, this loss was particularly bitter as the game was originally scheduled to be played in Detroit but was moved to New York due to an in-season tournament scheduling quirk.
This incident adds to a growing list of officiating mistakes throughout the season. Just two weeks prior, the Knicks themselves were on the receiving end of a missed call in the closing seconds of a loss to the Houston Rockets.
In the end, both teams experienced the unpredictable nature of basketball and the occasional errors made by officials. As Knicks player Josh Hart put it, “Whether there’s basketball gods or not, you know what I mean, crazy things happen in an 82-game season.”
The controversy surrounding this missed foul call will undoubtedly fuel ongoing discussions about the role of referees in the game and the need for consistent and fair officiating. As for Coach Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons, they hope that their concerns will be heard and addressed to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.