New York Knicks: Referees Are Awful, But They Aren’t The Biggest Issue

The referees have made costly mistakes during each of the New York Knicks’ past three losses, but they aren’t the reason for the inconsistency.

The New York Knicks continue to find ways to blow leads in the fourth quarter and lose games they were expected to win. Unfortunately, one of the most common themes in New York has been referees making awful calls towards the end of games.

Every Knicks player, fan, and coach has the right to complain about the referees, but the root of New York’s issues have nothing to do with the men and women in pinstripes.

The referees are making costly calls against the Knicks towards the end of games. Anyone who denies that truth is either not watching the games or purposefully ignoring the laundry list of questionable calls that influenced the outcome of New York’s losses.

For as costly as the referees’ deplorable calls have been, the Knicks’ inconsistency is the reason those calls influenced the outcome.

The referees have influenced each of the Knicks’ past three losses. It lost 108-107 to the Atlanta Hawks, 113-110 to the Washington Wizards, and 107-105 to the Phoenix Suns—and one could even include the 98-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in that statement.

The common theme in that loss wasn’t only the close score, but the referee’s influence—and, most importantly, the Knicks’ erratic play down the stretch.

Against Atlanta, the referees missed a foul call on Derrick Rose’s attempt at a game-winning layup. Against Washington, assistant coach Sidney Lowe was standing on the court, thus tricking Courtney Lee into believing there was a defender next to him.

Against Phoenix, Rose was fouled again on the drive, but proved unable to sink the shot through a questionable no-call.

Also against Atlanta, Rose made a poor read on defense that allowed Dennis Schröder to hit an open game-deciding 3-point field goal.

Against Phoenix, Rose committed the same mistake en route to Devin Booker hitting an open game-deciding 3-point field goal.

Against Washington, the Knicks defended poorly in transition and allowed John Wall to throw down a transition dunk with 13.7 seconds on the clock.

Furthermore, the Knicks led the 76ers by a score of 93-83 with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter. It led the Hawks by a score of 107-105 with 23 seconds remaining and the Wizards by a score of 110-109 with 32 seconds on the clock.

New York even held a 105-104 lead over the Suns with 32 seconds on the clock.

In other words: the Knicks held a lead during the final minute of every game the referees influenced. Thus, rather than blaming the referees for missed calls on the attempts at making a game-winner, the finger needs to pointed at New York for needing that shot to begin with.

Had the Knicks been able to preserve their four fourth quarter leads, the referees wouldn’t have been able to decide the game.

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The referees have been horrific during Knicks games, but the players and coaches haven’t been much better.