The New York Knicks have officially filed a protest with the NBA following their 105-103 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night. The decision to file the protest came on Tuesday evening, in response to the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report and revelations from game crew chief Ed Malloy regarding an incorrect foul call on Knicks guard Jalen Brunson against Houston’s Aaron Holiday in the final seconds of the game. Holiday went on to make two crucial free throws with less than a second left on the clock, securing the victory for the Rockets.
In order for a protest to be upheld by the NBA, it must demonstrate a clear “misapplication” of a rule, rather than simply highlight a missed call. The Knicks are hoping that their protest will either result in a tie game being resumed with the start of overtime or provide some other remedy that would spare them from the loss. Despite their current three-game losing streak and a string of injuries, the Knicks are determined to push forward with their protest in light of the controversial call.
While protests in the NBA are rare occurrences, with only six cases in league history being upheld, the Knicks are looking to buck the trend and seek justice for what they believe was an erroneous decision by the game officials. The last instance of a protest being upheld was back in December 2007, when Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal was mistakenly ruled to have six fouls instead of five. The game in question was resumed in March 2008, but neither team managed to score in the replayed 51.9 seconds of overtime, resulting in a victory for the Atlanta Hawks.
As the Knicks await the NBA’s ruling on their protest, they are gearing up for the upcoming All-Star Break later this week. With a season record of 33-21 and currently sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks are hoping for a favorable outcome that could potentially alter the result of their recent matchup against the Rockets. Whether the protest will be successful remains to be seen, but the Knicks are prepared to fight for what they believe is a fair and just resolution to the controversial finish of their game.