The Philadelphia 76ers have taken formal steps to express their dissatisfaction with the officiating, filing a grievance with the NBA after their recent playoff games against the New York Knicks, as confirmed by a team official to ESPN. This action follows their narrow 104-101 defeat in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden, which saw the Knicks advance to a 2-0 series lead.
The grievance filed by the 76ers does not challenge the outcome of Game 2 directly, meaning the result will remain unchanged. However, the team aims to highlight what they perceive as a pattern of unfair officiating that has disproportionately affected them more than other teams in the league, according to reports from The Athletic.
The final moments of Game 2 were particularly contentious. The 76ers were leading by five points with just 32 seconds left on the clock when the Knicks made a stunning comeback with consecutive three-pointers by Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo. The latter’s three-pointer followed a controversial play where Josh Hart stripped Tyrese Maxey of the ball, leading to a fall with no foul called. Sixers coach Nick Nurse and star player Joel Embiid both attempted to call timeouts during the chaotic ending but to no avail, adding to their frustration.
The 76ers plan to use detailed evidence from the last two-minute reports of recent games, including specific incidents from Game 1, to support their claims. While it’s uncertain what impact this grievance will have, the 76ers remain resolute, with Embiid asserting their confidence in overcoming the series deficit as they prepare for Game 3 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The 76ers plan to file a grievance with the NBA over the officiating across the first two games of this series, a team spokesperson told ESPN.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 23, 2024
The 76ers' grievance is not an official protest of tonight's game, league source says, which means it will not affect the outcome of Game 2. The Knicks are and will remain up 2-0. The Sixers wanted to voice their displeasure with the officiating and felt this was the best path.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) April 23, 2024
DIVINCENZO AND BRUNSON DRILL BACK-TO-BACK 3'S AND THE KNICKS TAKE THE LEAD! 🔥
— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2024
13.1 REMAINING IN GAME 2 ON TNT 🍿 pic.twitter.com/x0PwLjhsbw
"Everybody on the floor was trying to call a timeout, myself included, Nico, coach on the sideline, but they didn't give it to us."
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 23, 2024
Joel Embiid was left noticeably frustrated following the Sixers' Game 2 loss but knows his team is still capable of winning this series. pic.twitter.com/RD7lJFlp5J