Pistons HC Monty Williams May Escape $50,000 Fine Despite “Abomination” Remark on Officials After Knicks Game

Monty Williams did not hold back when he sat down in front of cameras for his post-game interview. He seemed angry and distraught over the Pistons losing 113-111, agonizingly to the Knicks on Monday. He blasted the officiating team, for the “no-call” moment when New York’s Donte DiVincenzo dove right between the Pistons’ rising star, Ausar Thompson’s legs for a loose ball before the Knicks scored with barely a few seconds left in the game.

“The absolute worst call of the season,” Williams said. “Enough is enough.” The Pistons head coach had enough after this probably. He even said that his team has “done it the right way. We have called the league, we’ve sent in the clips, we’re sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again“. Williams had seemed to have reached the end of his rope. He feels his team had the chance to win the match, and “the guy (DiVincenzo) dove into Ausar’s legs and there was a no call”, stating that it was an “Abomination”.

How can Monty Williams escape the fine?

People believe that William’s comments could earn him a fine for expressing his displeasure the way he did. After all, the Raptors coach, Darko Rajaković, and the Kings coach, Mike Brown, have had a similar fate for “aggressively pursuing and publically criticizing” the officiating team on different occasions. But at the same time, some people feel Williams might as well escape this route.

Scott Van Pelt explains the reason behind this escape on ESPN’s SportsCenter. After the game, Crew Chief James Williams admitted that there should have been a loose ball foul called. This is what James Williams said, “Upon postgame review, we determined that Thompson gets to the ball first and then was deprived of the opportunity to gain possession of the ball”. Further adding, “Therefore, a loose ball foul should have been whistled on New York’s Donte DiVincenzo”. 

Building up on this, Pelt iterated, “He’s not wrong. You can’t fine him for that“.

Whatever may have happened, the result of it was the Pistons finding themselves on the short end of a massive heartbreak for the second time, after losing out on the hopes that travel should have been called on Paolo Banchero’s win on Saturday, eventually losing out to the Orlando Magic. And if you believe that this fiasco was just one layer to the controversy, you’re wrong. This goes much deeper!

Monday’s game was supposed to be in Detroit. However, at the last minute, the league moved the game to happen in New York, so the Knicks can also have an equal number of road and home games after a slight imbalance in their schedule. This added fuel to fire since it is now the Pistons who will be playing 42 road games and 40 home games. The added travel pressure for Monday’s game against the Knicks and the no-call, probably both, led to Monty Williams losing his composure.

Post this loss, the Detroit Pistons are 8-49 in the current season while the Knicks are at 35-23.

Read More: Monty Williams Fumes at Referees’ “Abomination” After Wild Ending to Knicks-Pistons Clash