Thibodeau Criticizes Free Throw Discrepancy After Knicks’ Loss

NEW YORK — The New York Knicks faced a challenging night on the court Monday, losing to the Detroit Pistons 100-94 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau voiced strong concerns over the free throw discrepancy, saying it played a significant role in their defeat.

The Knicks left the court at halftime trailing by six points and struggling to secure free throw opportunities. While the Pistons shot 34 free throws, the Knicks managed only 19, despite both teams being called for similar fouls — 24 for the Pistons and 22 for the Knicks. Thibodeau noted the need for more balanced officiating during the game.

“Obviously huge discrepancy in free throws. Huge. I’ve got to take a look at that,” Thibodeau said. He specifically called out the inconsistency in officiating, suggesting that his star player, Jalen Brunson, deserved the same calls as Pistons’ Cade Cunningham. “I don’t understand how on one side you talk about direct line drives. The guy is getting fouled and it’s not being called,” he added. “If Cunningham is driving and there is marginal contact and he is getting to the line, then Jalen deserves to be getting to the line. It’s really that simple.”

Cunningham had a standout night, finishing with 20 points in the first half and shooting 10-for-12 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Brunson scored 9-of-11. The Knicks struggled to adapt to the officials’ calls and faced frustration, especially after being limited to only two free throw attempts in the first half.

Despite the officiating frustrations, Brunson emphasized the importance of adjustment. “Regardless of how it’s reffed, we’ve got to adjust and we’ve got to adapt to that,” he said. “I feel like we did that a little too late into the game.”

The series now stands tied at one game apiece, with Game 3 scheduled for Thursday in Detroit at 7 p.m. ET.