Knicks file protest after incorrect call, sources say

The New York Knicks filed a protest with the NBA to dispute the 105-103 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night, sources told ESPN.

The Knicks decided to file Tuesday evening, highlighting the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report and game crew chief Ed Malloy’s acknowledgements that the foul call on Knicks guard Jalen Brunson against Houston’s Aaron Holiday inside the final second was incorrectly called, sources said.

Holiday made two free throws with less than a second left on the clock, and intentionally missed a third to run out the clock in the 105-103 victory. The Knicks and Rockets aren’t scheduled to play again this season, but the hope of the protest is to either pick up a tie game with the start of overtime, or somehow remedy the Knicks without a loss.

Nevertheless, a protest must prove the “misapplication” of a rule, not simply a missed call. The Knicks — who’ve lost three straight games — have been hit hard with injuries and will welcome the start of the All-Star Break later this week. The Knicks are 33-21 and fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Only six protests in league history have been upheld. The NBA has not often upheld protests in its history — only six times, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

The last time came Dec. 19, 2007, when Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal was incorrectly ruled to have six fouls when he had only five. The game was resumed March 8, 2008, but neither team scored in the 51.9 seconds that was replayed from overtime and the Hawks won 114-111. Before the game was resumed, O’Neal had been traded to the Phoenix Suns.