SouthernWorldwide.com – The New York Knicks’ impressive 13-game playoff winning streak was halted at Madison Square Garden on Monday night as the San Antonio Spurs secured a 115-111 victory in Game 3, preventing a potential sweep.
Following the game, Knicks head coach Mike Brown began his press conference by expressing his dissatisfaction with the officiating in the second half.
“First of all, I want to make sure I get something clear,” Brown stated. “Coach Mitch Johnson and the Spurs. They won the game tonight. They came and took the game.”
“But I will say this: I never thought I would be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team’s eight. I don’t think I complain much about officials or the fairness when it comes to the free throw attempts.”
Brown acknowledged the Spurs’ strong performance but remained fixated on the disparity in free throw opportunities.
“Maybe we were fouling,” Brown mused. “But they fouled, too.”
He specifically highlighted a play where Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed a loose ball rebound under the basket, and as he attempted a shot, he was hit on the arm and the ball was knocked away. No foul was called on the play.
Another instance, not mentioned by Brown, involved Victor Wembanyama, who led the Spurs with 32 points. In the first half, Wembanyama forcefully pushed Jalen Brunson’s head while they were vying for position in the Knicks’ offensive zone, a play that also went uncalled.
Despite his grievances, Brown was careful not to solely blame the officials. He admitted that his team’s offense was stagnant and that they allowed the Spurs to penetrate the paint without maintaining defensive focus.
Brown anticipated that his comments would become the focal point of the post-game narrative. However, his players did not share his strong sentiment. Whether to avoid league fines or for other reasons, players like Towns indicated that the 24-8 free throw discrepancy in the second half did not decide the game’s outcome.
“Turned the ball over. Didn’t execute. Didn’t do what got us 13 straight wins in a row,” Towns explained. “That’s how you lose a game. We didn’t do what we’ve been doing for 13 [games]. We decided to do something different, and it ain’t going to work. Throwing the ball away is a clear indication of how you’re going to lose the game, especially in the playoffs.”
Brunson, in his own postgame press conference, even stated that the Knicks were “fouling a lot and put them at the line about 30 times.”
The Knicks acknowledged that factors beyond free throws contributed to their loss. They entered the second half with a seven-point lead but quickly relinquished it to the Spurs, a point Brown emphasized as a critical turning point.
“I thought San Antonio, they hit first at the beginning of the game and they hit first at halftime,” he commented.
The Knicks will have an opportunity to bounce back on Wednesday night in their home arena. They will aim to become the first home team in these Finals to secure a victory on their court.
