The New York Knicks pulled off a 121-117 victory against the Indiana Pacers in a heated Game 1 on Monday night, but it wasn’t without controversy. In the final moments of the game, officials became the center of attention with several disputed calls that impacted the outcome.

One of the most critical moments came when a kick-ball call was made against the Pacers, even though the player didn’t actually kick the ball. This allowed the Knicks to retain possession and ultimately hit a game-changing 3-pointer to take the lead. Another controversial call was made on a moving screen against the Pacers, leading to further frustration for the team.

Analysts and players, including Joel Embiid, took to social media to voice their frustrations over the officiating. In a surprising turn of events, officials admitted after the game that they had indeed made a mistake with the kick-ball call.

Adding to the drama, the NBA announced that they will release a Last 2 Minute Report on the game, providing more insight into the controversial calls. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle refrained from commenting on the officiating to avoid a fine, but it’s clear that the controversial calls will be a topic of discussion moving forward.

As the series continues, both teams will need to stay focused and not let the officiating impact their performance on the court. Stay tuned to Insider Wales Sport for more updates on this developing story.