The NBA admitted officials missed a foul on the final shot of New York’s 94-93 Game 4 victory over Detroit.
Josh Hart made body contact with Tim Hardaway Jr. as the Pistons guard attempted a corner three with 0.3 seconds left.
Officials acknowledge the mistake
Crew chief David Guthrie said the contact was judged legal in real time, but a postgame review showed it was more than marginal.
Hardaway should have received three free throws with Detroit one point behind. No whistle came, and the Knicks took a 3-1 series lead.
Hart acknowledged making contact but said the league’s review would decide whether it was legal.
Towns and Brunson erase Detroit’s lead
The Pistons led by 11 in the fourth quarter before Karl-Anthony Towns brought New York back.
Towns hit a difficult turnaround and then a deep three to put the Knicks ahead with 46.6 seconds remaining. He finished with 27 points.
Jalen Brunson scored 32 and added 11 assists despite briefly leaving with a leg problem in the third quarter.
Cunningham’s triple-double ends in frustration
Cade Cunningham recorded 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the third Pistons player to post a playoff triple-double.
He missed a mid-range shot with 7.4 seconds left before the loose ball reached Hardaway in the corner.
Detroit’s ninth consecutive home playoff defeat matched an NBA record. The missed call made the loss harder to accept because the final possession should have offered a chance to win.
