Knicks fans may not agree, but the NBA has ruled that referee Scott Foster’s travel call on Julius Randle in Monday night’s loss to the Nets was the correct one.
On NBA.com’s Last Two Minute Report, the league determined that Foster’s call was accurate because the ball was never dislodged from Randle’s hands when Kyrie Irving got a hand on the ball to disrupt what would have been an attempt at a game-tying 3-pointer with just over three seconds left in the fourth quarter.
New York, which had previously trailed by 18, had cut the deficit to three and had a chance to send the game to overtime on their final possession before Randle was whistled for a travel. He went up for a shot, and after Irving made contact with the ball, Randle came back down, believing he had lost control due to Irving’s contact. Foster did not agree. Neither does the NBA.
“As Randle (NYK) jumps into the air, Irving (BKN) makes contact with the ball, but does not dislodge it and does not cause Randle to return to the floor with possession,” the report stated. “Therefore Randle must pass or shoot before returning to the floor. Since he does return to the floor with the ball still in his possession, this is a traveling violation.”
Randle had to be restrained by teammates and others after the game, outraged with the call. The loss dropped the Knicks back down to .500.
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