The New York Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons 118–116 to take a 2–1 series lead on Thursday night. The ending of the game was downright weird as the Knicks were the benefactor of one odd almost-over-and-back non-call, while the home team's scorer's table was able to technicality their way to an extra possession in the final half-second of the game.

New York had a seven-point lead with 59 seconds remaining and a six point lead with 8.6 seconds on the clock and and the Pistons still ended up with a theoretical shot to win the game at the buzzer.

After a Tim Hardaway Jr. three cut the lead to three with 5.8 seconds remaining, Josh Hart threw an inbounds pass to Jalen Bruson just as he crossed half court going away from the Knicks' basket. Brunson touched the ball in the frontcourt, but apparently that's legal because of his momentum. So there's a new rule we learned because of replay review.

Brunson then missed a free throw with 3.5 seconds remaining and Tobias Harris hit a three to cut the lead back to one with 1.5 seconds left in the fourth. Brunson went to the line and hit another free throw before he intentionally missed the second with 0.5 seconds remaining.

While that should have been the game, someone started the clock before anyone touched the ball and the Pistons were given the ball on the sideline. Rather than try to throw it up towards the rim with half-a-second to go, Jalen Duren threw a pass over Cade Cunningham's head and the Knicks survived.

While some of the Knicks chalked it up to home court advantage, coach Tom Thibodeau did not seem to enjoy the call that gave Detroit one final chance.

"They did say that's what's in the rules," said Thibodeau. "But that doesn't seem right to me. It's unfortunate. That should never happen, ever, in a playoff game. Never happen"

Game 4 is Sunday afternoon.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tom Thibodeau on Knicks-Pistons Game 3 Ending: ‘That Should Never Happen'.

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