Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams was irate after the last-second loss to the Knicks on Monday night in New York, blasting refs for a clearly blown call that cost them the game.
With just seconds left on the clock, with the Pistons ahead by a point, rookie Ausar Thompson attempted to claim a loose ball that would have effectively ended the game -- until he was basically tackled by New York guard Donte DiVincenzo. No foul was called. The ball popped loose again, and the Knicks scored to end the game.
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“The absolute worst call of the season,” Williams said in his post-game press conference. “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.”
“We had a chance to win the game, and a guy dove into Ausar’s legs and there was a no-call. That’s an abomination. You cannot miss that in an NBA game. Period. And I’m tired of talking about it. I’m tired of my guys asking, ‘What more can we do, Coach?’ That situation is Exhibit A to what we’ve been dealing with all season long, and enough’s enough.”
After the game, Referee James Williams, the crew chief, told the pool reporter that they made a mistake.
“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,” James Williams said. “Therefore, a loose ball foul should have been whistled on New York’s Donte DiVincenzo.”
The Pistons have won just eight games this season, and frustration is boiling over. Pistons star Cade Cunningham went two games without getting to the free throw line before the Knicks game. He also wasn’t happy after the game, in which he scored 32 points with eight assists.
“I’d say livid,” Cunningham said. “That’s the word of the day: livid.”
Thompson said he was also confused with the no-call.
“I was very confused when I was on the ground and the play kept going, I’m not going to lie,” Thompson said. “But, I mean, that’s how it goes.”