By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown expressed immense frustration following his team’s Game 3 defeat against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals 2026, feeling utterly baffled by the officiating decisions.
“Coach Mitch Johnson and the Spurs, they won a game,” he stressed, opening his postgame press conference before focusing on complaints against decisions made by referees. “I never thought I would be in the NBA Finals and see a team get 24 free-throw attempts in the second half to another team’s eight. I don’t think I complain much about officials or the fairness when it comes to the free-throw attempts.”
The stark discrepancy at the foul line clearly weighed heavily on the 56-year-old play-caller as he looked ahead to the tactical adjustments needed for the remainder of the best-of-seven championship series of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google.
“It’s going to lower our odds big time, if we play Game 4 and in the second half they get 24 free-throw attempts to our eight. Maybe we were fouling, but they fouled too,” he added. “There were opportunities for fouls to be called, to at least try to even the free throws out.”
Despite his sharp critique of how the game was called, Brown refused to let the officiating completely overshadow his own squad’s shortcomings or the strong execution displayed by their opponents. “We didn’t play good. San Antonio played great. We could have played better,” he underlined.
With the Finals now 2–1 in favor of the Knicks, Game 4 follows in the same venue, Madison Square Garden, on Wednesday.
NBA Playoffs 2026
Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
Detroit Pistons – Orlando Magic 4-3 (101-112, 98-83, 105-113, 88-94, 116-109, 93-79, 116-94)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors 4-3 (126-113, 115-105, 104-126, 89-93, 125-120, 110-112, 114-102)
New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 4-2 (113-102, 106-107, 108-109, 114-98, 126-97, 140-89)
Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 3-4 (123-91, 97-111, 108-100, 128-96, 97-113, 93-106, 100-109)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
Detroit Pistons – Cleveland Cavaliers 3-4 (111-101, 107-97, 109-116, 103-112, 113-117, 115-94, 94-125)
New York Knicks – Philadelphia 76ers 4-0 (137-98, 108-102, 108-94, 144-114)
Finals (best-of-seven)
New York Knicks – Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 (115-104, 109-93, 121-108, 130-93)
Western Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Phoenix Suns 4-0 (119-84, 120-107, 121-109, 131-122)
Los Angeles Lakers – Houston Rockets 4-2 (107-98, 101-94, 112-108, 96-115, 93-99, 98-78)
Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves 2-4 (126-115, 114-119, 96-113, 96-112, 125-113, 98-110)
San Antonio Spurs – Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 (111-98, 103-106, 120-108, 114-93, 114-95)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 (108-90, 125-107, 131-108, 115-110)
San Antonio Spurs – Minnesota Timberwolves 4-2 (102-104, 133-95, 115-108, 109-114, 126-97, 139-109)
Finals (best-of-seven)
Oklahoma City Thunder – San Antonio Spurs 3-4 (115-122, 122-113, 123-108, 82-103, 127-114, 91-118, 103-111)
NBA Finals 2026 (best-of-seven)
San Antonio Spurs – New York Knicks 1-2 (95-105, 104-105, 115-111)
Make 
Your Preferred Basketball Source.
Add Eurohoops to Google