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Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau took issue with the glaring free-throw discrepancy Monday night after the Pistons evened the first-round playoff series with a 100-94 win.
Thibodeau was asked about Jalen Brunson’s 37-point effort when he switched gears and sounded off on the way the game was called.
“Obviously, huge discrepancy in free throws. Huge. I gotta take a look at that, alright?” Thibodeau said. “So … I don’t understand how on one side you talk about direct line drives, the guys get fouled and it’s not being called, right? And look, I really don’t give a crap how they call the game as long as it’s consistent on both sides. So [Cade] Cunningham’s driving and there’s marginal contact and he’s getting to the line. Then Jalen [Brunson] deserves to be getting to the line, it’s really that simple.”
The first of several rounds of “refs you suck” chants started when Cunningham stepped to the free-throw line at the 5:06 mark in the second quarter.
The boos and expressions of disgust only continued as the game wore on.
The Pistons went 13 of 14 from the line in the first half, while the Knicks waited until the end of the second quarter to take their first trip to the charity stripe.
Cunningham’s six free-throw attempts were three times more than the Knicks’ team total in the first half.
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Fans let out more frustration when Brunson was whistled for a clear-path foul in the third quarter.
Despite Cunningham connecting with Ausar Thompson for an alley-oop layup, the basket was waved off and Thompson went to the free throw line for two attempts.
Thompson missed both, but the Pistons got the ball back and Cunningham made good on the additional possession with a basket that ballooned Detroit’s lead to 11.
By night’s end, the Pistons took 15 more free-throw attempts than the Knicks and scored 28 points from the charity stripe to New York’s 16.
The Knicks took 11 of their 19 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter.
Thibodeau didn’t believe the way the game was being officiated impacted his team’s play.
“That’s part of our league,” he said. “You make your point, move on. Try to do it during the dead ball.”
