The rivalry between New York and Philadelphia runs deep.
Between the difference in accents, the preference for certain foods, the competing sports teams, and the natural belief that they are the most important historical city, no one meets in the middle when it comes to New York and Philadelphia.
On Monday night at Madison Square Garden, the NBA’s Knicks and 76ers decided to claim ownership of a small piece of the rivalry. Before this season, there wasn’t much playoff history, so fans could only rely on the hatred between the two cities. It is just the fourth time since the merger that the Knicks and Sixers have met in the postseason and the first since 1989.
Facing a 1-0 series deficit, the Sixers looked poised to tie the series in hostile enemy territory. That was until the Knicks resurrected the basketball ghost of Reggie Miller, this time for their own benefit. They scored eight points in the final 27 seconds and sent the 76ers home defeated and angry.
Critical footage of the second game presented by the 76ers television broadcast. pic.twitter.com/dvuofhvoO9
– DJ (@DJAceNBA) April 23, 2024
As is typical in these close matches, controversy continued.
Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey was fouled but not called. Head coach Nick Nurse called a timeout, but it was not granted.
The NBA’s latest two-minute report confirmed that was true. If either decision was made, there’s a good chance this series is tied. Instead, New York has a 2-0 lead and can push Philadelphia to the brink of elimination on Thursday night.
After the Sixers filed a complaint with the league regarding officiating during the first two games, all eyes will be on the people with the whistles tonight, for better or worse.
One thing’s for sure: NBA officials won’t be feeling the love in the City of Brotherly Love. Here’s who the league assigned to work Game 3 in Philadelphia.
Who are the referees of the third game between Knicks and 76ers?
Tonight’s officiating team consists of Zach Zarba, James Williams and Kevin Cutler, with Derrick Collins serving as the alternate.
Zarba is one of the most recognizable names among NBA referees. The 48-year-old has 21 seasons of experience and earned multiple NBA Finals assignments during his time in stripes.
Their divisions are nearly even, with local teams owning a .552 winning percentage in 1,311 games. That number increased a bit during the 2023-24 season, with home teams having a winning percentage of .563.
NBA fans won’t have to look far into the archives to find Zarba’s final playoff game, which took place Tuesday night in Minnesota. That game gave us a funny moment between Anthony Edwards and the veteran referee when the Timberwolves star appeared to hit Zarba before throwing the ball in the third quarter.
– Timber Wolves Clips (@WolvesClips) April 24, 2024
Conspiracy theories emerged later, but there was no evidence to suggest Zarba was a willing participant.
The league’s decision to insert Zarba into the Knicks vs. Sixers is probably their attempt to lower the temperatures of what has been a heated series. Between the rowdy crowds and the emotional teams, tempers have flared and the physicality has continued.
We should expect to see a well-defined game, especially early, with emotions running high after the Sixers felt they had been robbed of one Monday night in New York.
Hopefully, you’ll enjoy plenty of free throws.
