New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, left, celebrates with Josh Hart, right, after Hart was fouled by the Detroit Pistons during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson missed a 3-pointer, eventually got the ball back and passed it to Josh Hart for the go-ahead basket.
In between were three turnovers and a missed foul call in one of the most chaotic and controversial possessions of the season.
Hart ended it with a layup with 2.8 seconds left and the New York Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons 113-111 on Monday night.
“We won. This is the NBA, man. We don’t care how we win. We don’t care how ugly it is,” Hart said.
Brunson had 35 points and 12 assists for the Knicks, and it was his missed 3-point attempt with 20 seconds remaining that started the wild back-and-forth that led to Hart’s basket and left Pistons coach Monty Williams irate afterward.
Detroit chased down the rebound but threw it away, then appeared to recover when Ausur Thompson stole a pass by Donte DiVincenzo. But then Thompson lost the ball during a collision with DiVincenzo along the sideline, the Knicks came up with it and Brunson found Hart under the basket for his layup while being fouled.
“Donte dove for the ball and the ball came loose and then I looked at the clock, looked up the floor, saw Josh was open and just got around their defense and hit him,” Brunson said.
Brunson, however, never should have got the ball back. Referees determined afterward that DiVincenzo fouled Thompson.
“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,” crew chief James Williams said. “Therefore, a loose-ball foul should have been whistled on New York’s Donte DiVincenzo.”
After the Pistons lost their sixth straight, Williams went onto the court to yell at one of the officials near where Thompson…
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