76ers consider filing grievance over officiating after Game 2 loss

NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers are considering filing a grievance over officiating during their series against the New York Knicks, a team spokesman said Tuesday.

The 76ers lost both games in New York, with the Knicks rallying in the final 30 seconds for a 104-101 victory Monday night.

The Knicks got Donte DiVincenzo’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 13 seconds left, a possession that started when they stole the ball from Tyrese Maxey. Maxey was unable to cleanly catch the inside pass as he was swarmed by Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart and fell to the ground, with Hart then snatching the ball from him.

Joel Embiid said Maxey was fouled and coach Nick Nurse and some players tried to call a timeout before the Knicks got the ball back. The All-Star center used an expletive to say the officiating was unacceptable.

The Knicks protested their Feb. 12 loss at Houston after referees determined after the game that a foul on Brunson that resulted in the game-winning free throws should not have been called. The NBA denied the protest, saying a referee error was not a reason to overturn a result.

The Knicks began listing officials from that night in their game notes during the playoffs, listing their track record with officials along with statistics detailing how often they call violations and how often their calls are challenged.