Shorthanded Knicks need break to rest and get players back healthy 

ORLANDO, Fla. — If you want to look at a best-case scenario for coping with the brutal call at the end of Monday’s heartbreaking, frustrating, confounding loss in Houston, maybe a worn-down and banged up Knicks squad did not need to see the game go to overtime.

Donte DiVincenzo had already limped to the locker room with 5:12 left in the game, a hamstring injury that a team source indicated was not believed to be a serious issue (listed as questionable for Wednesday) — but added to the list of injuries that have befallen the franchise of late, maybe it was best just to head to the team bus and get out of town.

But, no, that won’t satisfy the Knicks who filed a protest with the league according to a league source, or anyone that watched this game. It wasn't just the bizarre ending, but all game long as the officiating crew admitted a mistake on the ending, but nothing about what preceded it. The call at the end cost the Knicks a chance to go to overtime, but what they really need right now is a break and after Wednesday’s game against the Magic they get the All-Star break to heal and hopefully return more intact.

On the record, the Knicks answered the questions carefully — avoiding fines that the fan base probably would have done a GoFundMe to reimburse the players. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, asked about the officiating, said, “Great. It was great.” Jalen Brunson, who was called for the foul at the buzzer that crew chief Ed Malloy admitted about an hour later was a mistake, answered every question about the play by repeating, “Great call, next question.”

But off the record, some wondered aloud about calls that had gone on all night and odd explanations from the officiating crew and when the officials confirmed their error Josh Hart tweeted, “No way bro” with a line of crying with laughter emoji and Precious Achiuwa tweeted, “Nasty work,” followed by a face palm emoji. It didn’t help the NBA that the apology did little to assuage the betting world NBA commissioner Adam Silver has embraced. Even avoiding conspiracy theories would do nothing to stop the grumbling over just how this game had been officiated with the Knicks getting into the paint far more than the Rockets, driving to the basket more and still only going to the line 12 times compared to 33 for Houston.

Even if the fan base isn’t ready, the Knicks must move on. With this final game ahead of the break the Knicks have to decide whether to rest DiVincenzo and hope that with the break he fully heals. And after the break that it won’t be long for them to get back Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson.

But for now, the reality is that the Knicks have lost three straight games after winning nine straight and survival might be the best they can hope for — getting to the break without any more issues. And after the team ascended toward the upper reaches of the Eastern Conference they have fallen back.

“We — I — didn’t play well for the majority of the game,” Brunson said. Asked if he had gotten shots he wanted as he struggled much of the night, he added, “Yeah. I missed them. I was a little bit out of rhythm. I felt I was getting to my spots, just wasn’t making them. It’s all good. On to the next one.”

That is the attitude the Knicks have to take — and hope for the best. If they give DiVincenzo and Hartenstein the night off Wednesday to provide them with an extended break to heal, and if Randle, Anunoby and Robinson return not long after the break, the Knicks can make a push again toward the postseason.

By Steve Popper

steve.popper@newsday.com@StevePopper

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.