Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau blasts how officials are treating Jalen Brunson
New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) goes to the basket for a shot against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Credit: John Raoux
ORLANDO, Fla. — It was a physical game, with a few stoppages for blood, technical fouls on both sides and frustration evident on nearly every Knick’s face. And when it was over, the most angry reaction came from coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Knicks dug themselves a huge hole with woeful shooting and sloppy turnovers, and after they cut a 20-point third-quarter deficit to five late in the game before falling to the Magic, 117-108, Thibodeau went all in.
When the subject of the officiating of Jalen Brunson, who went to the line 12 times, was raised, Thibodeau shed his usual coach-speak, raised his voice and let his anger boil over.
“I am so, like, what this guy is going through is ridiculous,” Thibodeau said. “Ridiculous. You’re getting hammered time after time, I’m just getting sick and tired of it. So, like, I watch it. I send it in. I see it all. And it’s, they’re fouls. It’s plain and simple, they’re fouls and there’s no other way to say it, except they’re fouls. They’re fouls. No one drives the ball more to the rim than this guy does. And if you rake across his arm, you rake across his arm. And if you hit him in the head, you hit him in the head. Those are fouls. Those are fouls. Sick and tired of it. Sick and tired of it.”
The emotion by Thibodeau was more than the Knicks showed in the first three quarters. As they took the floor to start the fourth quarter, Taj Gibson grabbed the basketball and howled loudly, first to himself and then in front of his teammates, seemingly trying to pump life into a team in desperate need of a boost.
The loss dropped the Knicks to 0-2 on this trip with a back-to-back game Saturday night in Indiana. The best thing going for them right now is that soon December will be over. With one game and two days left before the calendar turns, they already look as if they have a hangover.
Julius Randle led the Knicks with 38 points, including 16 in the first quarter. Brunson had 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds but shot 4-for-15 from the field (12-for-12 from the line). RJ Barrett had 19 points.
The Knicks (17-14) shot 6-for-30 from three-point range and committed 16 turnovers after recording 18 Wednesday in Oklahoma City. They misfired on 10 straight field-goal attempts in the third quarter, making them 2-for-18 for the period, and went 7:08 without a field goal. They also missed 17 of their first 18 three-point attempts.
Randle muscled in against Goga Bitadze and then scored inside again, closing the deficit to 103-97 with 3:54 left. Jalen Suggs then missed a pair from the line and Brunson appeared to have a clear layup, but Bitadze blocked his drive from behind and then dunked on the other end.
As Bitadze started upcourt, he slammed a shoulder into Brunson, sending him sprawling and getting hit with a technical foul. Immanuel Quickley hit the free throw to make it 105-98, but Suggs blocked Brunson’s shot. Those two shots likely were the calls that set off Thibodeau.
Asked about the fouls, Brunson said, “Next question.” Asked about the physicality of the game, he echoed that sentiment.
“It’s just not consistent, man,” Randle said. “That’s all I can say. It’s just not. It’s not consistent.”
“It’s a very physical game,” Barrett said. “It was physical both ways and they came out with the win. Of course, certain plays you’re going to be frustrated with on both ends. At the end of the day, our job is to find a way to win, no matter what. So as much as you can be frustrated or whatever, we’ve got to still win at the end of the day.”
A dunk by Randle with 56 seconds left brought the Knicks within five, but Suggs delivered a mid-range jumper and the lead was up to seven with 36.9 seconds left. Brunson’s two free throws with 32.5 seconds left made it 113-108, but Paolo Banchero hit two free throws and Suggs dunked.
Franz Wagner had 32 points, Banchero added 29 points and 10 rebounds and Suggs scored 21 for the Magic (19-12).
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
