The Philadelphia 76ers suffered a heartbreaking loss in Game 2 of their first-round series against the New York Knicks, and they are pointing fingers at the officiating. The game was marred by a series of missed calls by the referees that ultimately led to the Knicks stealing a victory from the 76ers.
With less than a minute left in the game, the 76ers were up by five points and looked poised to secure the win. However, a series of controversial calls, or lack thereof, turned the tide in favor of the Knicks. The NBA’s last two-minute report revealed several key mistakes made by the officials during the crucial moments of the game.
76ers head coach, Nick Nurse, was particularly vocal about the missed calls, claiming that he had called for a timeout that was ignored by the referees. Additionally, there were instances where Knicks players committed fouls that went uncalled, ultimately benefiting the Knicks.
The 76ers have decided not to file an official protest of the game’s result, but they will be lodging a complaint with the league over the officiating in Games 1 and 2. This is not the first time team president Daryl Morey has raised concerns about officiating, having done so during the 2019 postseason with the Houston Rockets.
Despite the controversy, the 76ers now find themselves down 2-0 in the series and facing an uphill battle to stay alive in the playoffs. They will need to regroup and focus on winning their upcoming home games to turn the series around and put the officiating controversy behind them.