NBA head of officiating Monty McCutchen acknowledges a foul should have been called on a play in the first quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals involving Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, Marc Stein of “The Stein Line” reported Tuesday.
“NBA head of officiating Monty McCutchen, appearing now on ESPN, acknowledges that a foul was missed on Victor Wembanyama’s first-quarter shove of Jalen Brunson and says the league’s review is still ongoing regarding whether the play will be deemed a retroactive flagrant foul,” Stein wrote in an X post.
The Moment Between Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson
With just over seven minutes gone by in the first quarter, Wembanyama was seen aggressively shoving Brunson as the San Antonio Spurs led the New York Knicks 24-13.
Brunson appeared to immediately object to Wembanyama’s actions by emotionally confronting him as play continued. During the ensuing dead ball, Brunson stormed over to referee John Goble, appearing to express shock that no foul was called.
Following the Knicks’ 115-111 loss, Brunson replied “whatever you saw is what you saw” when asked about the play.
The non-call on Wembanyama drew an audible response from Knicks fans at the moment. The play continues to dominate headlines nearly 24 hours after the start of Game 3. The NBA is reviewing the play involving Wembanyama and Brunson and will determine whether any additional penalties will be assessed.
Game 4 is set to tip off shortly after 8:30 p.m Eastern on Wednesday night.
How Controversial Game 3 Incident Could Impact NBA Finals
Winning the first two games on the road, the Knicks extended their playoff winning streak to a remarkable 13 games.
There was plenty of discourse on the unprecedented environment Game 3 in Madison Square Garden would deliver; many labeled it as the most anticipated game in the lengthy existence of the building. The Knicks were unable to hold up their end of the bargain as their winning streak was snapped.
Following an emotional first half, the Spurs took control in the final two quarters, with stellar performances by Wembanyama and Stephon Castle silencing the Garden and pulling San Antonio within one win of tying the series.
After his play in Games 1 and 2 were heavily debated, Wembanyama registered one of the shining outings of his young career, tallying 32 points while shooting 11-for-18 overall and 2-for-4 from 3-point range.
Castle, the 21-year-old sophomore, scored 23 points while shooting 8-for-14 from the field. With under 120 seconds remaining in regulation, Castle cashed a 26-foot jumper to give the Spurs a seven-point lead, a back-breaker for the Knicks.
Game 4 will deliver similar noise and expectations for the Knicks, who seek to take a commanding 3-1 series advantage before the NBA Finals shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5.
NBA VP Admits Mistake on Controversial Victor Wembanyama-Jalen Brunson Moment