TITLE: Knicks Coach Mike Brown Questions Free-Throw Disparity After Game 3 Loss
SLUG: knicks-coach-mike-brown-questions-free-throw-disparity-after-game-3-loss
CONTENT:
The New York Knicks saw their NBA Finals advantage shrink to 2-1 on Monday, falling 115-111 to the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. After the game, head coach Mike Brown repeatedly criticized the officiating, zeroing in on a stark difference at the foul line.
San Antonio attempted 32 free throws to New York’s 22 overall, including a 24-8 edge in the second half. “I never thought I’d be in the Finals and see one team shoot 24 free throws in a half and the other eight,” Brown told reporters. “Maybe we were fouling, but they fouled, too.”
Brown said he spoke with the referees during the game, noting that the Spurs went 14-for-3 in free-throw attempts during the third quarter alone. According to the coach, officials responded by pointing out specific calls they considered fouls.
While Brown highlighted officiating, his players pointed elsewhere. Guard Landry Shamet called the Spurs “more physical and assertive,” and forward Josh Hart said San Antonio played “with urgency and desperation.”
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns cited turnovers as a larger issue. New York committed 13 giveaways that became 21 Spurs points, compared with eight turnovers and seven points for San Antonio. “We turned the ball over a lot and put them on the line about 30 times,” Brunson said. Towns added, “(The officiating) didn’t cost us the game. We turned it over, didn’t execute, and got away from what earned us 13 straight wins.”
Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Source: Hoops Rumors
