Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks was already full of energy and playoff tension, but then one controversial foul call threw fuel on the fire. Just before halftime, a challenge by Indiana was denied, and NBA Twitter exploded.
The call sparked instant debate, not just from fans but also from veteran reporters and analysts. From Skip Bayless to Bill Simmons, experts across the league questioned the officiating and what really qualifies as a “normal shooting motion.”
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Right before halftime in Game 6, with the Pacers up by a slim margin, things got heated. The Knicks forward, OG Anunoby, drove hard to the basket, jumping into Pascal Siakam, whose effort to contest the shot ended in a painful collision.
Anunoby’s knee made contact with Siakam below the belt, but the referees called it a defensive foul and ruled the play a regular shooting motion. Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle challenged it but lost.
That sparked an immediate wave of frustration online. NBA insider Steve Popper posted, “Surprised Carlisle loses the challenge – arguing that OG’s leg went into Siakam before the contact – but Pacers are out of challenges now with 3:02 left in first.”
Surprised Carlisle loses the challenge – arguing that OG’s leg went into Siakam before the contact — but Pacers are out of challenges now with 3:02 left in first.
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) June 1, 2025
And losing that challenge wasn’t just a tactical hit; it ended their ability to challenge any future controversial calls.
NBA experts couldn’t believe the call stood. “Officials rule OG Anunoby’s knee to Siakam’s nuts ‘a normal shooting motion’ and say Indiana’s challenge is unsuccessful,” posted Knicks beat writer Kristian Winfield, summing up the chaos in one line.
Officials rule OG Anunoby’s knee to Siakam’s nuts “a normal shooting motion” and say Indiana’s challenge is unsuccessful.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) June 1, 2025
One fan chimed in with a dose of sarcasm, tweeting, “they starting early with these calls lmfao.” And that summed up how many viewers felt—that the refs were jumping into the drama way too soon.
Even ESPN’s Bill Simmons couldn’t stay silent, posting a simple but telling reaction: “Oh man… here we go… 😭😭😭”
Oh man… here we go… 😭😭😭
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 1, 2025
OG’s contact didn’t look accidental to some fans, and even respected voices in the basketball world questioned the ruling.
Law Murray of The Athletic pointed out, “OG Anunoby driving against Pascal Siakam (called a normal shooting motion lol),” with a not-so-subtle disbelief in that “lol.”
OG Anunoby driving against Pascal Siakam (called a normal shooting motion lol) pic.twitter.com/1zGq7fqs0P
— Law Murray 🤔 (@LawMurrayTheNU) June 1, 2025
Veteran sportswriter Skip Bayless cut straight to the point, posting: “Defensive foul.” No sugarcoating there.
Defensive foul.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 1, 2025
One Knicks fan page added a thoughtful context to the moment: “Thank you. The idea that that would be an offensive foul is silly. Players do that on the regular. It’s not like he is kicking his whole leg out leading with the foot.”
Thank you. The idea that that would be an offensive foul is silly. Players do that on the regular. It’s not like he is kicking his whole leg out leading with the foot
— Let’s Talk Knicks (LTK) (@LetsTalkKnicks_) June 1, 2025
While the foul controversy boiled over online, both players were locked in on the court. Siakam was leading the Pacers with 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and looked locked in, hitting both of his 3-point attempts. On the other side, OG Anunoby kept the Knicks alive, scoring 12 points in the second quarter alone, including a buzzer-beater that trimmed Indiana’s lead to 58-54 by halftime.
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The Pacers were hoping to close out the series at home and punch their ticket to the NBA Finals. The Knicks, behind Jalen Brunson’s leadership and Anunoby’s hot hand, were pushing to force a Game 7 back in New York.
But it was the Pacers who took care of business in Game 6, beating the Knicks 125–108 to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. Siakam led the way with a game-high 31 points and was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP for his consistent impact throughout the series. On the other side, Anunoby scored a team-high 24 points for New York, but it wasn’t enough to keep their season alive.
