Monty Williams didn’t hold back.
The Pistons coach lambasted the officials for “the absolute worst call of the season” on the game-winning play that led to the Knicks’ 113-111 nail-biter of a win at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
A chaotic ending resulted in a number of questionable non-calls and then an eventual and-1 for Josh Hart to win the game for the Knicks with mere seconds on the clock.
Williams could be seen frustratedly trying to talk to the officials and went off on them during a brief postgame news conference.
“Where’s the New York media now,” Williams sarcastically said as he sat down to speak with reporters. “The absolutely worst call of the season. No call and enough is enough. We’ve done it the right way. We’ve called the league. We’ve sent in clips. We’re sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again.
“We had a chance to win the game and the guy dove into [Ausar Thompson’s] legs and there was a no call. That’s an abomination. You cannot miss that in an NBA game. Period.”
The wild sequence started when Jalen Brunson took a 3-pointer with roughly 20 seconds to play, but the ball was rebounded by ex-Knick Quentin Grimes and he was able to get it over to Simone Fontecchio, who turned the ball over to Isaiah Hartenstein.
Hartenstein then moved the ball to Donte DiVincenzo who then lost the ball to Thompson. But he was then seemingly tackled by DiVincenzo, allowing Brunson to get the ball back and move it to Hart.
Crew chief James Williams acknowledged after the game that the officials had gotten the call wrong in terms of the play by DiVincenzo.
“Upon postgame review, we determined that Thompson gets to the ball first, and then was deprived of the opportunity to gain possession of the ball. Therefore, a loose ball foul should have been whistled on New York’s Donte DiVincenzo,” James Williams said.
While there is sure to be some vindication for the Pistons, it likely won’t make the Pistons coach any happier following the loss.
“I’m tired of talking about it. I’m tired of our guys asking me what more can we do coach,” Williams continued about his frustrations with the officiating. “That situation is exhibit A to what we’ve been dealing with all season long. And enough is enough. You cannot dive into a guy’s legs in a big-time game like that and there be a no-call. It’s ridiculous and we’re tired of it.
“We just want a fair game called. Period and I got nothing else to say. We want a fair game and that was not fair.”
Williams proceeded to storm out of the press conference room after saying “I’m done” as he stood up.
The loss was the Pistons’ sixth straight and dropped them to 8-49.
