The New York Knicks began their second round with a 121-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Following a heart-stopping series against the Philadelphia 76ers, they pulled off another dramatic win at Madison Square Garden.
A couple of controversial calls left fans bitter over Monday’s outcome.
With less than a minute left, the officials called a kick ball on Aaron Nesmith. The ruling preserved possession for the Knicks in a tie game, and they capitalized with a huge three-pointer from Donte DiVincenzo.
The Pacers had the ball down one with a chance to take the final shot. However, Myles Turner got called for an illegal screen after some embellished selling from DiVincenzo.
Those calls led disgruntled viewers to cry conspiracy on social media.
“I’ve always thought the idea that games are ‘rigged’ for certain teams is just stupid.,” a fan wrote. “Watching the end of Knicks games this postseason has made me entirely question that belief.”
“The refs have given the Knicks every call for the last 8 minutes of this game,” a fan claimed. “The NBA has never been more rigged.”
“NBA is rigged and I will never forgive them for tonight,” someone who claims to be the “most rational Pacers fan” in their bio wrote. “Knicks got every single call down the stretch that every fan knows wouldn’t have gone the other way. Ridiculously terrible officiating.”
“Most rigged NBA game I’ve seen,” a fan said. “How you going to call a phantom kick ball and an offensive screen when the game is on the line.”
Of course, the NBA is not rigged. Referees are just imperfect humans.
Studies have pointed to an implicit home bias in favor of the home team. But that’s a bit more complex than shouting “rigged” on social media.
It’d be strange for the referees to have reversed a call in Indiana’s favor with less than two minutes remaining if they were truly fixing the game for the Knicks. Besides, fans always think the call is wrong when it doesn’t benefit the team they want to win.
The Pacers will look to even the series in Friday’s Game 2 at 7 p.m. ET.