Throughout the 2023-24 NBA regular season, there have been complaints about how referees are calling games. Players and fans alike have been left wanting explanations for how some games were officiated. On Monday, the game between the New York Knicks and Houston Rocketscould be the worst officiated contest of the season.

Looking at the stats and based on the style of play by each team, some eyebrows will be raised. New York is a team that lives in the paint and they did so against Houston, a team that fouls a lot usually.

A tied game being decided on a bogus call hurts. Molloy admitting the call was wrong is only rubbing salt in the wound as there is nothing that can be done about it now. A short-handed Knicks team fought right to the final whistle, overcoming a 16-point deficit only to have it ripped away.

Goble and referees who make incorrect calls such as that one need to be held accountable. With how tight the NBA playoff races are going to be, one call like that can change the entire landscape when it comes to matchups and seeding.

There is no guarantee that the Knicks would have won the game in overtime, as they were running on fumes. But, they weren’t even given a chance to win the game. The benefit of the whistle went Houston’s way all night with the final play being the cherry on top.