Pistons-Knicks Game 4 decided by controversial foul no-call on final play

The New York Knicks are going back to Madison Square Garden with a 3-1 lead in their first round series against the Detroit Pistons in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The Knicks completed a dramatic fourth quarter comeback in Game 4 to steal a 94-93 victory that came down to a controversial final sequence.

Karl Anthony-Towns put the Knicks in front with under one minute remaining in regulation with a pair of incredible shots: first, a baseline fadeaway that arched over the backcourt and through the net, and then a 27-foot step-back dagger for three. Detroit had one last chance to take the lead with 11 seconds remaining. The Pistons put the ball in Cade Cunningham’s hands, but New York forward OG Anunoby was able to force a miss. The loose ball somehow kicked out to Pistons guard Tim Hardaway Jr. in the corner, and that’s when things got a little wild.

Josh Hart ran out to contest Hardaway’s shot. Hart pulled his arms back to avoid the foul, but clearly hit Hardaway with his body. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff was irate after the game screaming for a foul call. After the game, the referees admitted it should have been a foul in the pool report.

Watch the play here:

Here’s another angle of Hardaway’s final shot. That’s a lot of contact, but the refs swallowed the whistle.

Bickerstaff was still upset about the no-call after the game. “I don’t know any other way around it. There’s contact on his jump shot.”

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The refs basically said “my bad” on the game-deciding no-call in the post-game pool report.

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Hardaway could have been going to the line for three shots with Detroit down one in the final seconds. Instead, the Knicks are going back to MSG one win away from advancing to the second round.

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Game 4 was an old school Eastern Conference classic from the Knicks and Pistons. This series has been a treat to watch, and this was the best chapter yet.