Knicks Can't Let Bad Officiating Become the Focus (No Matter How Egregious it Was in Game 3)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts to a foul called by referee Marc Davis (8) in the third quarter during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

A 24-to-8 free throw advantage in the second half is not normal. An 84-61 edge in free throw attempts through three games isn't normal. A center getting away with beating up on an opponent's star is not normal. The officiating in the NBA Finals was already a huge focus after Game 2, and it seemed to get even worse in Game 3. It's no surprise that it's top of mind for Knicks fans right now.

But the Knicks can't afford to let this become their focus.

Brunson frustrated at Wemby 😳 pic.twitter.com/0xd2HO78NV

— ESPN (@espn) June 9, 2026

Control what you can control (the Spurs will)

What the Knicks can control is how they play, not how the officials call the game.

To some extent, a lopsided free throw total was something that should have been expected in this series. For as much as there have absolutely been some blatantly terrible calls, it's not realistic to expect things to go 50-50 in this matchup.

Consider that the Spurs averaged the 11th-most free throws per 100 possessions (24.5) in the regular season, while the Knicks ranked 23rd (21.9). And that, while Knicks' opponents averaged the 17th-most attempts per 100 possessions (23.3), the Spurs' attempted the fewest (20.8).

Obviously a gap like 24 to eight is very different from 24.5 to 21.9, but it's worth noting as a baseline.

And getting hung up and stuck on that factor isn't going to make you play any better in Game 4. The Knicks can't afford to write off the genuine issues that popped up by excusing the loss with poor officiating. Thankfully, OG Anunoby isn't.

Anunoby acknowledged the defensive struggles, particularly in transition. Consider that Victor Wembanyama scored 10 of his 32 points off turnovers. Consider that the Spurs' 8 turnovers were their fewest in any game this postseason. Consider that 71.8% of the Spurs' baskets came off an assist.

Did the Knicks' defense feel the need to play more passively because of the officiating? Maybe, but passivity doesn't lead to the miscommunication we saw out there and the "mental mishaps" that OG called out.

The right amount of attention

All of that said, Mike Brown did the right thing when he went off on the officiating in the postgame press conference.

The players can't control anything about the officiating, but a head coach shining a massive, high-profile light on it does seem to have an impact at times — especially if it's not someone who's regularly complaining about officiating.

Mike Brown is not happy with the officiating after Game 3:

"I never thought I'd be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free throw attempts in the second half to another team's eight." pic.twitter.com/yk3PDJ8HQh

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 9, 2026

Is "it seems to help, sometimes" vague and anecdotal? For sure. And most fanbases are going to be much more aware of when it happens against them. But Knicks fans can look at the success J.B. Bickerstaff had this year, or Rick Carlisle last year, and have some hope that things will improve in Game 4.

Ebbs and flows

It's also well worth noting that we're only three games removed from a Western Conference Finals in which the general consensus among fans leaguewide is that officiating was highly lopsided against the Spurs and in favor of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Poor officiating happens. It's far more visceral and real when it happens against your team. Complaining about officiating is a time-honored tradition that sports just wouldn't be the same without. But this isn't a conspiracy to get Wemby his first championship.

Officiating may well improve in Game 4 — it would be hard for it not to, and that's part of the game-to-game variance that should be expected. Unless you're counting on a conspiracy, officiating is going to fluctuate with variance around the midpoint where it "should" be. So after a game that was as lopsided as that one, an improvement would likely be on the way even if nobody in the world had called it out.

The Knicks are up two games to one in the NBA Finals. They're two wins away from the franchise's first championship since 1973.

What this team needs to do is make sure they shore up every single crack that showed in Game 3 so that even a free throw disadvantage won't stop them in their mission.