NBA report backs Tom Thibodeau, Julius Randle's criticism of officials
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021 in New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
A day after Tom Thibodeau angrily addressed the officiating in Brooklyn Tuesday and Julius Randle stated his case, the NBA didn’t issue them fines - and instead issued a two-minute report that backed up some of the Knicks’ assertions in the two-point loss to the Nets.
"I looked at it briefly," Thibodeau said. "But that game's gone. We’re focused on this game."
Asked if there was any consolation in at least having the last two-minute report rule that there were two calls that were wrong in the Nets’ favor, Thibodeau wasn’t going to bite.
"You’ve got to move on," he said. "Hey look, no one’s perfect. It’s both good and bad to see that report. I think that was Adam [Silver’s] idea in terms of transparency, which is good. Everyone is going to make mistakes. Mistakes happen. You move on. No one’s perfect. They get most of them right. Some of them they’re not going to get right."
While the NBA is sensitive to criticism of officials in any way and couldn’t be pleased with Randle’s comments after the game about them not understanding the game, he also had a point if he was accurate in his description of what told to him - that he wasn’t getting calls because he was too strong and not showing effects of the contact.
"The thing is just play," Thibodeau said. "He’ll adapt. It’s an emotional game. He’s going to the basket very aggressively. And we want him to. That’s when he plays his best. Just keep attacking the rim. When he does that he makes us a lot different."
Sidelined
RJ Barrett was held out with a non-Covid illness after trying to play through it Tuesday and shutting down midway through the second quarter. Jericho Sims also was out with an illness Thursday and Nerlens Noel was out with a sore right knee.
Settled business
The Bulls were fined by the NBA Wednesday for early tampering in their pursuit of Lonzo Ball and coach Billy Donovan is happy to put it behind him.
"Yeah, I'm happy it's over with, personally," Donovan said. "I obviously had heard about it when it first happened. The front office kinda made me aware of it. I think because it was a private matter, I was not included in any of those discussions or talks that went on between the organization and the league. So, I'm happy for our organization to just get back to playing basketball."
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
