Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau Goes Nuclear On NBA Officiating

Add Tom Thibodeau to the long list of people who have been with the refs this year.

The New York Knicks head coach unleashed a tirade against officials after Friday's 117-108 loss to the Orlando Magic. Specifically, Thibodeau said he's "sick and tired" of the way point guard Jalen Brunson is treated.

"I am so, like, what this guy is going through is ridiculous. Ridiculous," Thibodeau told reporters. "You're getting hammered time after time, I'm just getting sick and tired of it. 

“Like, I watch. I send it in. I see it all. They're fouls. It's plain and simple, they're fouls and there's no other way to say it, except they're fouls. They're fouls. No one drives the ball more to the rim than this guy does. And if you rake across his arm, you rake across his arm. And if you hit him in the head, you hit him in the head. Those are fouls. Those are fouls. sick and tired of it. Sick and tired of it." 

Tim Thibodeau Takes Issue With Treatment of Brunson

Brunson did go to the line 12 times — making all 12 free throws — but Thibodeau clearly believes he should have

It was an ugly, physical game all around, with the teams getting to the line a combined 69 times. Orlando shot 40 free throws, and the Knicks made 30 personal fouls to Orlando's 20.

New York played awful in the second quarter, scoring just 15 points. They bounced back to cut the deficit to just six points in the fourth quarter but ultimately couldn't complete the comeback.

"It wasn't an easy game, because there was a physicality to the first half that was different," he said of the loss. "And then, in the second half, I didn't know what a foul was."

(Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Knicks forward RJ Barrett was slightly more diplomatic about the loss.

"We have to adjust earlier to how the game was. It'll put us in a better position," he said.

"It's a very physical game, it was physical both ways and they came out with the win. Some plays you're frustrated with on both ends… At the end of the day, it's our job to find a way to win. You have to find a way to win at the end of the day."

The second-straight loss drops the Knicks to 17-14. They'll take on the Indiana Pacers Saturday night.

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