The New York Knicks came up short against the Indiana Pacers 130-121 during Tuesday’s Game 4 Eastern Conference finals road matchup. Indiana received standout performances from its star duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. However, a large subset of NBA fans felt New York dealt with biased late-game officiating, hindering its chances of tying up the series.
Trailing the Pacers 2-1, the Knicks played from behind most of the evening, never leading by more than two points. Haliburton delivered a historic triple-double, recording a game-high 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, four steals and five 3-pointers without committing a single turnover. Meanwhile, Siakam chipped in 30 points on an efficient 11-for-21 shooting (52.4%), with the tandem offsetting New York star point guard Jalen Brunson’s team-best 31-point effort.
Amid the Knicks’ bid to come back from as many as 15 points down in the fourth quarter, several fans observed a seemingly one-sided whistle in Indiana’s favor. One early fourth-quarter play featured New York forward OG Anunoby appearing to get fouled by Siakam on a putback attempt, to no avail. That was followed by a sequence in which the Knicks were called for four fouls in 12 seconds, igniting widespread outrage.
NBA Fans Blast Late-Game Officiating in Knicks’ Game 4 ECF Loss to Pacers
After New York’s series of fourth-quarter fouls, fans on X gave the referees a piece of their minds, with many expressing disbelief at the calls going against the Knicks.
“No call on this and then called 4 touch fouls on the Knicks in 12 seconds,” one fan said.
No call on this and then called 4 touch fouls on the Knicks in 12 seconds…… https://t.co/O7t3xGbd5U
— GlutenSZN (@f_antetomaso) May 28, 2025
“Knicks had FOUR fouls called on them in 12 seconds. TWELVE SECONDS!” another wrote.
Knicks had FOUR fouls called on them in 12 seconds. TWELVE SECONDS! 😂 pic.twitter.com/nfMEY4fh1R
— LeLuka Broncic (@valterritsjames) May 28, 2025
“4 fouls called against the Knicks in 12 seconds. GIVE US A CHANCE,” one pleaded.
4 fouls called against the Knicks in 12 seconds.
GIVE US A CHANCE. pic.twitter.com/oM2yQ3Vxd6
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) May 28, 2025
“These refs are trippin rn man,” another remarked.
These refs are trippin rn man ‼️
— Kris Jenkins (@Smoove2you_) May 28, 2025
“Not a fan of these fouls on the Knicks. Bad timing for us to go soft and start blowing the whistle,” one user chimed in.
Not a fan of these fouls on the Knicks. Bad timing for us to go soft and start blowing the whistle.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) May 28, 2025
“Every single game having to play 5v8 is comical at this point,” one more commented.
every single game having to play 5v8 is comical at this point
— flock (6’3) (@melgibsonfan99) May 28, 2025
Aside from a few questionable fouls and non-calls, New York faced criticism for its turnover struggles and defensive lapses in Game 4.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau also caught flak for his rotation decisions, including keeping wing Josh Hart in the game late. While Hart double-doubled with 12 points and 11 rebounds, he finished with five turnovers and six fouls in 36 minutes off the bench.
Tom Thibodeau on Knicks’ Mindset After Game 4 Letdown
During his postgame interview, Thibodeau was asked about his message to his team after its emotional defeat. The veteran coach underscored New York’s need to renew its mindset ahead of Game 5.
“After each game, you have to analyze why you either have won or lost, then make your corrections and get ready for the next game,” Thibodeau said. “And so, the important thing is to reset. You’re not playing the series, you’re playing the game. … Each game is different, and have that understanding. There’s a lot of emotional highs and lows in the playoffs. You’ve got to reset and get ready for the next game.”
“You’re not playing the series, you’re playing the game.”
Thibs on approaching Game 5 as a clean slate pic.twitter.com/OsSrdGfewe
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 28, 2025
Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will look to stave off elimination in front of their home crowd.
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