The NBA Finals are heating up, but not just because of the action on the court. After Game 2 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, fans are flooding social media with accusations that the officials are rigging the series.
The controversy started in the first half when Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox committed a blatant double dribble that went uncalled. To make matters worse, the referees then hit Knicks center Mitchell Robinson with a technical foul after a shoving match with Victor Wembanyama, while the French star escaped without any penalty.
Things didn't improve for New York in the third quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks' star big man, found himself on the wrong end of two highly questionable foul calls, leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads.
One fan on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “No one is going to talk about how the refs are clearly cheating the @NBA is definitely rigged there’s no way that Spurs is allowed to get away with all those calls.” Another added, “The refs in this @nyknicks vs @spurs game should be fired. Ticky tack calls going one way towards San Antonio. The Knicks are getting pummeled and no call. @nba at least try harder to not look rigged.”
The outcry didn't stop there. A third fan commented, “These refs are ridiculous. They want the Spurs to win. You can’t tell me the NBA isn’t rigged man.”
This isn't the first time the NBA's officiating has come under fire this postseason. Just last week, the league faced similar accusations of rigging games in favor of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even Spurs rookie Dylan Harper called out Fox with a viral TikTok after Game 1, and now the tables have turned.
Spurs star Stephon Castle previously voiced his frustrations about inconsistent calls. “Trying to play through it is tough. I just think the way they guard, how physical they are, we don’t get that same luxury to be able to play as physical on the other end at times,” Castle told reporters, via Bleacher Report. “Offensively, I think we do a good job of screening and playing through it. I think we create a lot of advantages, but I think we missed a lot of open shots tonight.”
Now, in Game 2, it appears the Spurs are the ones benefiting from questionable officiating. The irony isn't lost on fans, who are demanding more consistency from the league.
With Game 3 set for Monday night, all eyes will be on the officiating crew. The NBA will surely hope for a cleaner, less controversial game. For now, fans are left wondering if the fix is in.
