New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown wasn’t a fan of the way the refs officiated his team’s narrow 103-100 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. Brown’s nemesis throughout the contest proved to be Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who Brown called out after the loss.
Brown specifically noted Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to get to the free-throw line, though the coach implied that wasn’t always deserved, per ESPN.
“SGA, he’s a tough cover, and he does a great job of convincing the referees — probably better than anybody in the league — that he’s getting hit,” Brown said.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot a game-high seven free throws in the win. He made every single one of them, scoring 26 points to lead the Thunder to the win.
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Brown’s frustrations with Gilgeous-Alexander weren’t limited to the Thunder star getting calls. In the first quarter, the coach received his first technical foul since joining the Knicks after arguing with officials over a missed foul call against Gilgeous-Alexander.
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The play in question occurred with 1:57 on the clock in the first quarter. As Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the basket, he knocked Knicks star Jalen Brunson to the floor. Officials did not call a foul on Gilgeous-Alexander, who gathered himself and hit a layup to extend the Thunder’s lead.
As Brunson hit the floor, multiple Knicks players — including Brunson — put their hands in the air looking for a foul call on Gilgeous-Alexander.
But no one was more furious than Brown, who got directly in an official’s face to complain. That earned Brown a technical foul.
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While Brown did not want to blame that missed call for deciding the game, it was a pivotal play. If the refs penalized Gilgeous-Alexander on that play, it would have given him three fouls in the first quarter. The Thunder likely would have played it cautious with their star the rest of the way, and that may have resulted in a different outcome.
Some may take issue with how Gilgeous-Alexander does it, but the Thunder star does have a knack for getting to the free-throw line. He’s led the league in free throws made per game the past two seasons, and is currently in the lead for that honor again this season.
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Gilgeous-Alexander ranks second in the NBA in free-throw attempts per game this season, trailing only Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić.
