Pistons’ Tim Hardaway Jr. Claims Foul on Last Play, NBA Agrees
In a nail-biter against the New York Knicks, Tim Hardaway Jr. felt he was fouled during the final play that sealed a close 94-93 loss for the Detroit Pistons. The NBA later supported his claim, acknowledging that a foul should have been called on Knicks player Josh Hart.
Hardaway’s chance to win the game hinged on a 3-pointer he attempted as time expired. Had the foul been recognized, he would have received three free throws with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock. Instead, the game concluded without the whistle being blown, much to the disappointment of Pistons fans and players alike.
After the game, Hardaway expressed his frustration, stating, “You guys saw it. Blatant.” This loss placed the Knicks ahead 3-1 in the playoff series, with Game 5 set to take place in New York.
According to crew chief David Guthrie, the officiating team initially thought Hart executed a legal defensive move. However, upon review, they admitted that there was significant contact that warranted a foul.
Hart himself conceded, “Did I make contact with him? Yeah, I made contact with him. Was it legal? I don’t know.” The league regularly reviews calls made in the last two minutes of tightly contested games, and the findings are usually released the following day. However, in this instance, the NBA quickly provided clarification to the media.
Despite their protests, the Pistons were unable to change the outcome. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was visibly upset and approached the officials after the game, but he could not challenge the call. Detroit had already used their challenge earlier, and since no foul was actually called, a challenge wouldn’t have been applicable.
Bickerstaff emphasized, “There’s contact on Tim Hardaway’s jump shot. The guy leaves his feet; he’s at Timmy’s mercy. I repeat, there’s contact on his jump shot.”
With 11.1 seconds remaining in the game, the Pistons found themselves trailing by one. Cade Cunningham missed a jump shot, which eventually led to Hardaway receiving the ball. In an attempt to shoot, he was clearly contacted by Hart, leading to the dispute over the call.
Knicks player Karl-Anthony Towns was asked for his thoughts on the play, to which he simply replied with a smile, “What do you want me to say? Happy we got a win.”
As the series continues, this controversial call adds another layer to what has been an intense playoff matchup.
