NEW YORK — Add New York Knicks coach Mike Brown to the growing chorus calling out the way in which the Oklahoma City Thunder are being officiated.
Brown was handed his first technical foul as Knicks coach late within the first quarter Wednesday evening after complaining that referees missed what ought to have been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s third foul when he crashed into Jalen Brunson. Brunson went down as Gilgeous-Alexander gathered himself for a layup with 1:57 left within the interval.
A 3rd foul on Gilgeous-Alexander might have modified the trajectory of a detailed recreation, which the Thunder won 103-100 after the Knicks missed two potential game-tying 3-pointers within the last six seconds.
Brown was nonetheless bothered by the play throughout his postgame media availability.
“SGA, he’s a tough cover, and he does a great job of convincing the referees — probably better than anybody in the league — that he’s getting hit,” Brown stated.
Gilgeous-Alexander went to the road a game-high seven occasions en path to scoring 26 factors with eight assists in 35 minutes. His 3-pointer with 1:18 left gave the Thunder a 103-96 lead.
The reigning league MVP is second to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ Luka Doncic in free throw makes an attempt per recreation at 9.2 and leads the NBA in free throws made per recreation for a 3rd straight season.
Of the play in query, Brown stated: “Jalen was there, and he ran them over. It was like the decision they made on OG [Anunoby]. I do not know, I do not perceive why that was a no-call.”
“That should’ve been his third [foul], the bucket shouldn’t have counted and we should’ve gone the other way with the basketball,” Brown continued. “Jalen is standing there, putting his body on the line and our guys are fighting their asses off to win the ball game, and it just didn’t sit well with me.”
Brown did not blame the no-call for why the Knicks could not win their fourth straight recreation, nonetheless.
Brunson, who drew three offensive fouls on the Thunder, stated he was blissful to see Brown’s ardour on the sidelines.
“I’m going to have his back every single night. He has ours,” Brunson stated. “Regardless what he does or techs he gets, I’m going to have his back.”
Brunson was sporting a bruise beneath his proper eye. When requested about it, he smirked and stated, “It was probably a no-call.”
