Pistons coach Monty Williams called the officiating “an abomination” for admittedly blowing a key call late in his last-place team’s last-second loss Monday night to the Knicks.
It turns out that the NBA admitted two other blown calls in that game, both of which should have been whistled against Detroit.
According to the league’s Last Two Minute (L2M) report, two infractions also should have been called against Pistons center Jalen Duren in the final minute of play — in addition to the missed foul not signaled against Donte DiVincenzo against Ausar Thompson with 8.2 seconds left on the game-winning sequence for the Knicks.
With 58 seconds to play, Duren should have been called for a loose ball foul on Isaiah Hartenstein, and 33 seconds later the Detroit center should have been slapped with a three-second violation.
“That’s the whole thing, that’s part of the league, not every call is gonna be correct,” Tom Thibodeau said before Tuesday’s 115-92 loss to the Pelicans. “The thing you like about the league, you see the transparency of it all, the Last Two Minute report. Not every call is perfect.
“I said this [Monday] night, it was a physical game both ways and as long … I’m just looking for consistency. As long as it’s called the same way for both teams, I’m not complaining about anything.”
Alec Burks’ shooting woes continued with a 1-for-7 night from the floor while missing both of his 3-point attempts. The veteran guard acquired from the Pistons at the trade deadline is shooting just 31.4 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from long range in seven games with the Knicks.
Thibodeau said OG Anunoby still has not resumed shooting following elbow surgery earlier this month. Anunoby, Julius Randle (dislocated right shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (December ankle surgery) are still waiting to be cleared for contact… CJ McCollum (ankle) was out for New Orleans.