NBA Denies Knicks’ Protest of 105-103 Loss to Rockets on Feb. 12

The NBA on Wednesday denied the game protest filed by the New York Knicks in the aftermath of their 105-103 loss at the Houston Rockets earlier this month.

The Knicks decided to submit their protest with the league to dispute the Feb. 12 loss, citing the controversial last-second foul call that led to the Rockets’ victory.

The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report and game crew chief Ed Malloy acknowledged that the foul call on Knicks guard Jalen Brunson against Houston’s Aaron Holiday inside the final second was incorrectly called.

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/zdF29Swrva

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 28, 2024

“After seeing it during postgame review, the offensive player was able to return to a normal playing position on the floor,” Malloy said. “The contact which occurred after the release of the ball therefore is incidental and marginal to the shot attempt and should not have been called.”

However, it was not enough for the league to uphold the protest.

“New York was required to demonstrate that there was a misapplication of the official playing rules, as opposed to an error in judgment by game officials,” the league said in a release. “Because the foul call at issue reflected an error in judgment, New York did not demonstrate a misapplication of the playing rules, and the extraordinary remedy of upholding a game protest was not warranted.”

The Knicks and Rockets aren’t scheduled to play again this season.

Only six protests have been upheld in NBA history

Brunson drained a 15-footer with 8.1 seconds remaining, tying the score. Holiday then attempted a heave before the buzzer, and Brunson was called for a foul on the play.

Holiday made two free throws with less than a second left on the clock. He intentionally missed the third to run out the clock. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said it was a “tough way to lose a game” during the postgame interview.

Since New York’s protest failed to prove the “misapplication” of an established NBA rule, it had no chance to be upheld by the league, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

Jalen Brunson was called for a foul on Aaron Holiday’s prayer for the win 😱pic.twitter.com/h2567TaaLg

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 13, 2024

Only six protests have been upheld in NBA history, and just one protest has been upheld in the last 41 years. That one was filed by the Miami Heat after their 114-111 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 19, 2007.

Heat center Shaquille O’Neal was incorrectly ruled to have six fouls when he had only five against Atlanta. The game was resumed March 8, 2008, to play the remaining 51.9 seconds from the incorrect call.

Neither team scored, and the Hawks’ 114-111 win was final. Though, it was an awkward experience for both teams.

Before the game was resumed, O’Neal had been traded to the Phoenix Suns. The Hawks also dealt four players for Mike Bibby at the deadline. The league allowed both teams to use players acquired since the disputed game.

Shawn Marion, who came to Miami in the O’Neal trade, was in the Heat’s lineup. Marion played for two different teams on the same day, and he lost both times. He scored 23 points for the Suns in their Dec. 19 loss at Dallas. Plus, he played 52 seconds for the Heat.