The NBA has determined that there were multiple officiating errors during the New York Knicks' victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2. The game took a dramatic turn in the final minutes, with a series of fouls and disputed calls impacting the outcome.
According to the league's Last 2 Minutes report, Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey was fouled twice before committing a turnover that led to a crucial 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo. Additionally, 76ers coach attempted to call timeouts that were not recognized by the officials during a critical possession.
The 76ers, now trailing 2-0 in the series, expressed frustration with the officiating and plan to file a grievance regarding the calls made in the game.
With the 76ers leading by five points late in the game, a pivotal moment occurred when Jalen Brunson hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining. The subsequent inbound pass to Maxey was disrupted by Brunson and Josh Hart, with the NBA ruling that Maxey was impeded by a jersey grab and lower body contact, both of which were deemed incorrect non-calls.
Despite the controversy, the league determined that Hart's subsequent steal from Maxey was clean. However, there was a dispute over the timing of timeout requests made by the 76ers' coach, with the league suggesting that the requests may have been made too late in the sequence of events.
Following the game, Sixers center Joel Embiid criticized the officiating, calling it unacceptable for missing the attempted timeout and the foul that impacted the game's outcome.
As the series progresses, the officiating controversy adds an additional layer of intrigue to the matchup between the Knicks and the 76ers. Fans and analysts alike will be closely watching how the teams and the league address these issues moving forward.
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