Knicks’ Donte DiVincenzo Reacts to Controversial Play vs. Pistons

What did Donte DiVincenzo have to say after the Knicks beat the Pistons?

The Detroit Pistons were understandably angry with the way the final sequence played out during their Monday night matchup against the New York Knicks.

With a one-point lead, the Pistons prevented the Knicks from gaining a lead of their own on what was supposed to be their final offensive possession.

New York coughed the ball up. Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson got to it and was gearing up to fly in transition, looking to ice the clock as much as possible before an intentional foul from the Knicks.

Knicks veteran Donte DiVincenzo wasn’t looking to commit a desperate foul. Instead, he went for a desperate dive at the ball, tripping up Thompson, who then lost control.

The Knicks ended up getting the ball back before scoring another two points and getting a foul call at the basket, which led to an And-1 opportunity. In the end, the Knicks put the Pistons away with a 113-111 victory.

After the game, Pistons head coach Monty Williams couldn’t hold back his frustration. Once he sat in front of reporters, the coach put together a rant aimed at the officials as he believed Thompson’s no-call was “the absolute worst” of the season. It was a mic-drop moment for Williams, who then stormed off without fielding a single question.

On the other end of Madison Square Garden, DiVincenzo discussed the play with reporters, denying the idea that he went at Thompson’s legs intentionally. Chalking the play up as simply going for the ball to get a steal back, DiVincenzo didn’t see himself as in the wrong.

“I went for the ball,” he told reporters. “I didn’t look at the play. At the end of the game, you just turn the ball over and the ball is front of you, I’m going for the ball. Like I said, I respect everybody’s opinion, but I can’t speak on it until I go back and look at the film.” 

The Knicks guard hadn’t reviewed the play for another look at that point, but the officiating crew did. Unfortunately, the Pistons’ frustrations proved to be warranted, as the postgame pool report revealed that DiVincenzo should’ve been whistled for a loose-ball foul.

While there might be some vindication for Detroit, the clarification won’t reverse the results. The Knicks won the game, improving to 35-23. As for the Pistons, they lost their sixth in a row.