NBC commits a foul on Knicks fans in Game 2 by adding phantom timeout to score bug in final seconds
Knicks guard Mikal Bridges puts up a shot defended by Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson as time runs out in the 4th quarter of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2026. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Why didn't the Knicks call a timeout before their failed final possession on Monday night?
Simple. They didn’t have one, despite what NBC showed and told viewers.
NBC, which broadcast the Knicks’ 107-106 Game 2 loss to the Hawks, erroneously posted on its score bug that the Knicks had a timeout going into their final possession, which ended with a missed Mikal Bridges shot at the buzzer.
“New York will take its timeout almost guaranteed here,” play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle said while Atlanta’s CJ McCollum took a free-throw attempt, which he missed.
Josh Hart grabbed the rebound with 5.6 seconds left and the Knicks raced down the court for the final shot.
“No timeout called,” Eagle said.
NBC addressed the issue at halftime of its second game between Minnesota and Denver.
Maria Taylor: "We just want to say that the scoreboard showed a timeout that the Knicks did not have on the final play, but due to a data issue, the wrong timeout information was communicated. So, that's why you see a timeout on the (NBC) scorebug." 🏀📺 #NBA #NBC https://t.co/HYmVpAyBh9 pic.twitter.com/ScKbussPZg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 21, 2026
“We just want to say that the scoreboard showed a timeout that the Knicks did not have on the final play, but due to a data issue, the wrong timeout information was communicated,” studio host Maria Taylor said. “So, that’s why you see a timeout on the score bug.”
Taylor, who was on with Carmelo Anthony, added: “[Anthony’s] head was down. He had to touch the monitor to even believe what had happened in this Knicks game.”
Anthony, according to Awful Announcing, said: “Well, I was touching the screen because I was under the impression that there was a timeout. So, thank you for correcting that.”
Game 3 of the tied Knicks-Hawks series will air Thursday night on Amazon Prime Video with Saturday night’s Game 4 back on NBC and Peacock. Television for the rest of the series is to be announced.
KNICKS VS. HAWKS SCHEDULE
Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102
Game 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106
Game 3: New York at Atlanta, Thursday at 7 p.m. on Prime Video
Game 4: New York at Atlanta, Saturday at 6 p.m. on NBC
Game 5: Atlanta at New York, Tuesday, April 28
Game 6: New York at Atlanta, Thursday, April 30*
Game 7: Atlanta at New York, Saturday, May 2*
* if necessary
Anthony Rieber covers sports media and business and professional sports (you know, games and trades and things). He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since Jan. 1, 2026.
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