The Detroit Pistons fan base was screwed out of watching their team win a home game for the first time since 2008 after the refs swallowed their whistle at the end of Sunday’s game. The New York Knicks escaped Game 4 with a 94-93 win in front of 20,062 fans at Little Caesars Arena.
Jalen Brunson’s 32 points helped the Knicks take a 3-1 series lead before Game 5 on Tuesday night in New York.
The Detroit Pistons got robbed on Sunday
The Pistons had a chance to score a last-second bucket, but contact by Josh Hart on Tim Hardaway Jr. was enough to alter the trajectory of the three-point attempt, leading to a Knicks one-point victory instead of an opportunity for Hardaway to shoot game-winning free throws.
Did the pistons get robbed? No call on Tim Hardaway’s final shot of the game.
This is called a foul 99% of the time. #NYvsDET pic.twitter.com/LwwVLmBSdV
— Benchwarmer Sports (@bwsportsmemes) April 27, 2025
Per Ian Begley of SNY TV, referee David Guthrie admitted he made a bad no-call.
“During live play, it was judged that Josh Hart made a legal defensive play,” Guthrie told Coty Davis. “After postgame review, we observed that Hart makes body contact that is more than marginal to Hardaway Jr. and a foul should have been called.”
In interview with pool reporter @CotyDavis_24, ref David Guthrie acknowledges that Josh Hart fouled Tim Hardaway Jr. on the final play of Game 4: pic.twitter.com/1Gv7rxqQoZ
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 27, 2025
The New York Knicks are getting unnecessary help
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was irate on the floor when the refs chose not to call the foul. Following the game, he told reporters that there was clear contact on the play.
“There’s contact on Tim Hardaway’s jump shot. I don’t know any other way around it, there’s contact on his jump shot… I repeat, there’s contact on his jump shot,” Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff didn’t like the way series has been called, He thinks Cade Cunningham should have gone more to the free throw line.
“They do let you play more physical, well some people get to play more physical,” Bickerstaff said. “I think these past couple of games is kinda hard for me to believe that Cade only gets to the free throw line four times as much as he drive and gets to the paint…
“I think sometimes he’s referee’d differently cuz he’s a big guard.”
JB: "They do let you play more physical, well some people get to play more physical. I think these past couple of games is kinda hard for me to believe that Cade only gets to the free throw line 4x. I think sometimes he's referee'd differently cuz he's a big guard" pic.twitter.com/2p7QLlvghO
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 27, 2025
The refs are doing a good job of assuring the TV viewing audience that they will get to see a Boston Celtics and Knicks playoff series. At least they’re being honest about the misses after the fact.
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