The Clock Operator Fuck Up In The Knicks Pistons Game Last Night Was Nearly One Of The Biggest Hatchet Jobs In History
Mike Mulholland. Getty Images.Last night the Knicks took care of business on the road and stole back control of their first round series against the Pistons. It did not come easy thanks in large part to the clock operator of the game. Rico blogged this when it happened, but I feel compelled to chime in so I can bitch and moan myself.
In case you missed it, after a Tobias Harris three to cut the lead to one, Jalen Brunson was sent to the line with 0.5 seconds left on the clock. After making the first he chose to intentionally miss the second free throw, with Detroit having no timeouts left. As he missed the free throw the clock operator decided to sound the buzzer before anyone could touch the ball. This promptly caused all sorts of chaos.
A lot to dive into here, but first of all how in the world is the ruling here to take no time off the clock and allow the Pistons to inbound the ball side out?
Everyone seems to be saying the clock operator during playoff games is a neutral third party and has no influences to either team, but these days is anybody truly neutral? I mean sounding the buzzer there is fucking insane. In theory someone very good at their job can be taking advantages like this all season long for a team?
By rule, in that situation the team that gains possession during a clock malfunction gets the ball out of bounds, but that rule is stupid. One of these options need to happen instead
1) run 0.3 on the clock and then allow Detroit to inbound the ball
2) redo the free throw
3) jump ball
You can't just give the team a free inbound with no time coming off there. Luckily Duren proceeded to throw the ball out of bounds and ruin any sort of magic the Pistons had conjured up. The refs also blatantly missed him traveling on the inbound.
Knicks win despite the tomfoolery. Series back in control. But my god, if Detroit wins it there on the 3 that's one of the biggest hatchet jobs you'd ever see.