76ers coach Nick Nurse was livid after Game 2 against the Knicks, alleging that two crucial timeouts he called were ignored by the referee.
“We take a look at getting it in quick,” Nurse told reporters after the Knicks’ 104-101 win Monday. “We don’t get it in quick. I call timeout. Referee looked right at me. Ignored me. Went into Tyrese [Maxey]. I called timeout again, and then the melee started.”
The missed timeouts proved costly as the Knicks capitalized on the confusion to steal the ball and hit a game-winning three-pointer.
“I just watched the film just to make sure,” Nurse said. “I’m clearly calling timeout. I didn’t see if he looked at me in the film, but I could see me clearly calling timeout twice.”
Nurse’s frustration was evident as he expressed disbelief that his timeouts were not acknowledged.
“Yeah, I mean, I guess I gotta run out onto the floor or do something to make sure and get his attention. Needed a timeout there to advance it. Would’ve been good. But couldn’t get it.”
The 76ers’ loss has put them in a 0-2 hole in the series. Nurse’s allegations of missed timeouts have added another layer of controversy to what has been a tightly contested playoff matchup.
