NBA fans adamant Pacers-Knicks game was ‘rigged’ as TNT broadcaster calls out ‘shocking’ decision at crucial stage
A CONTROVERSIAL moment in the New York Knicks’ dramatic win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday has divided NBA fans.
The Knicks were awarded a late offensive blocking foul with just seconds left of the playoff contest at Madison Square Garden.
ReutersThe New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers on Monday – but not without controversy[/caption]
TNT SPORTSKnicks guard Donte DiVincenzo hit the deck with seconds left of the game after a screen from Myles Turner[/caption]
GettyOfficials whistled for an offensive foul, effectively icing the game for the Knicks[/caption]
Trailing 118-117, Pacers star Myles Turner attempted a block on Donte DiVincenzo as Tyrese Haliburton hunted for the go-ahead bucket.
Turner applied a solid block on DiVincenzo, who went flying down backward onto the court.
The Knicks guard laid flat on his back as the officials whistled for an illegal moving screen.
Indiana immediately challenged the call, with DiVincenzo accused of flopping by some fans at home after falling despite minimal contact.
“The NBA is trying to set up a Knicks-Celtics East Finals,” fumed one viewer on X.
“Can’t reward a player for that kind of obvious flop. No one hunts fouls like the Knicks,” added another.
The decision was upheld following a challenge, but TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy praised DiVincenzo for his “acting skills.”
“That is shocking,” Van Gundy gasped in response to the footage.
“You never see that call at this point in the game. I mean, never.
“That is a great acting job. Lot of great actors here in New York City, you see them on Broadway all the time.
“That’s as good an acting job as you’ll see.”
Some fans went even further and claimed that the game was “rigged” in favor of New York.
“The part that is rigged is that Turner did that 3 or 4 times all game and didn’t get called. Refs essentially said it was no big deal until Pacers were about to take the lead. Be consistent,” argued one.
“You can debate if you don’t see that call in those moments but what you cannot debate is that it WAS an illegal screen,” countered another.
“Turner set an illegal screen. How is it BS and rigged if they reviewed it and confirmed it was an illegal screen?” agreed a third.
NBA Eastern Conference playoffs
First Round
Celtics (1) 4-1 Heat (8)Cavaliers (4) 4-3 Magic (5)Bucks (3) 2-4 Pacers (6)Knicks (2) 4-2 76ers (7)
Conference SFs
Celtics (1) vs Cavaliers (4)Pacers (6) vs Knicks (2)
The Knicks saw out the contest to win 121-117 and take a crucial 1-0 lead in the Conference semifinal series.
The Pacers fell apart down the stretch but were unfortunate with a number of controversial calls.
Aaron Nesmith was whistled for a kicked ball violation with the scores tied at 115-115, allowing DiVincenzo to hit a go-ahead three-pointer moments later.
“I don’t want to talk about the officiating. We’re not expecting to get calls in here,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, via CBS.
“It would be nice if they laid off that one, but they didn’t. So that’s just the way it goes.
You never see that call at this point in the game. I mean, never.
Stan Van GundyTNT Sport
“I mean, we challenged it, they reviewed it, they had a bunch of people in New Jersey that agreed with them.
“We gotta learn from that, too. That’s a timing play. Both guys are involved. We’ll have to execute that better next time.”
Game 2 of the series is set for Wednesday night in Manhattan, before moving to Indiana on Friday.
TNT SPORTSSome fans were adamant that the Knick star had flopped on the last-second play[/caption]
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