Sixers to file grievance over officiating of Games 1 and 2 vs. Knicks: ‘That’s fucking unacceptable’

There’s no other way to describe that other than a shitshow.

After falling 104-101 in Game 2 of their first-round matchup with the New York Knicks, the Sixers have decided to file a grievance with the league over the officiating from those first two games.

This all came to a boiling point in the final 30 seconds of Game 2, when Tyrese Maxey turned the ball over on a physical play. The Knicks scooped the ball up and eventually hit the game-winning three on that possession.

Not only were the Sixers mad there was no foul called, but they also weren’t granted a timeout.

Nick Nurse certainly felt that the refs should have given them the timeout.

“I call timeout, the referee looked right at me, ignored me,” he said, “then the melee started and yeah, I guess I need to run out on the floor or do something to get his attention.”

Joel Embiid was just as frustrated, if not more so, with the entire situation.

“We just had the same thing happen against Miami,” he told reporters at his locker postgame, “that’s just unacceptable to put us in that situation. That’s fucking unacceptable, to lose a game like that, especially in the playoffs.”

He was equally annoyed that none of the Sixers in the area were granted the timeout they were trying to call.

“I mean, everyone on the floor was trying to call a timeout, myself included, Nico [Batum]even coach on the sideline,” he said, while again reiterating that the situation was “fucking unacceptable.”

He was asked if he needed to talk to Maxey about getting the ball inbounds in that type of situation, but didn’t believe Maxey was at fault.

“Well, he did his job. That’s on the league, that’s on the NBA, that’s on the frickin’ referees,” he said.

When Maxey was asked about that play, he only responded with a simple “just gotta rebound. I can’t turn the ball over. I can’t lose the ball, gotta get the rebound.”

Honestly, this would be a better look for the Sixers if they only filed a grievance about that last play.

While they may have been hosed to close Game 2, complaining about how an entire two games have been called is just a lot more excuse-making than that one specific play.

Regardless, it was an extremely frustrating night for Philadelphia, and they have an uphill battle when the series comes back home. Winning the grievance will not magically make this series 1-1 — the Sixers are going to have to do this the hard way.