Knicks decry officiating as Spurs dominate early in NBA Finals Game 4

The NBA assigned a veteran crew – crew chief Zach Zarba, referees James Williams and Courtney Kirkland, and Replay Center official Marc Davis – to Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. Fans immediately flagged Davis, who was involved in a dispute after the Knicks’ Game 3 loss, and questioned whether the officiating would be consistent.

Within the first minute of the game, referees called a questionable foul on Knicks forward Karl‑Anthony Towns, followed by another on Victor Wembanyama and a missed goaltending call on Josh Hart. Commentator Richard Jefferson noted, “there’s not a whole lot there.” The Knicks trailed by as many as 25 points in the first half, prompting chants of “refs you suck” from the Madison Square Garden crowd and renewed criticism of the officiating crew.