NEW ORLEANS — A Pelicans ball boy got caught up in a ruse that resulted in a technical foul.
In the second quarter of the Knicks' 104-93 win over the Pelicans, a loose ball bounced over the baseline near New York's basket, but it wasn't clear who touched it last.
The umpire awarded the ball to the Knicks, but as the Pelicans were considering whether to appeal the ruling, the ball boy attempted to stall by wiping the court clean.
Replays showed the ball boy was being urged to “sweep” off the Pelicans' bench, including a slight push on his back, and that Knicks players heard the command. admitted.
“The bench was screaming, 'Sweep, sweep,'” Brunson told the Post. “And not a single person fell to the floor.”
The referee gave a technical to the Pelicans, or perhaps the ball boy, and Brunson made a foul shot with 4:19 left in the first half to cut the deficit to four points.
“They knew what they were doing. The poor ball boy got yelled at,” Josh Hart told the Post. “Their bench was telling him that.”
Hart, who returned from a one-game absence due to personal reasons, credited New Orleans coach Willie Green with helping revive his career.
Hart spent two and a half seasons with the Pelicans and requested a trade before Green was hired to replace Stan Van Gundy in 2022.
“He was my third coach in three years,” Hart said. “I went through probably the worst period of my career after Stan, and Willie believed in me. I didn't want to go back, but I talked to him and we agreed early that year.
“He just trusted me. He put me in a position to be successful from a playmaker and scorer standpoint. I think that's the biggest thing. He trusted me as a player. But more than that, he trusted me as a person. It gave me confidence. If you look at the games I played there, I think my average was about the same as it is now. I'm probably having one of the best years of my career right now. I've always loved Willie. He changed things for me. …I will always be very grateful to Willie for changing the trajectory of my career.”
Jericho Sims played 13 minutes in place of Karl-Anthony Towns, who was in foul trouble early on, and had his best performance of the season.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said, “Jericho has come in and given us a huge boost.''
The Knicks outscored the Pelicans by 17 points with Sims on the court.
Zion Williamson, once dreamed up as the Knicks' savior and face of the NBA, remains permanently sidelined, reportedly out indefinitely and on the trade block.
Williamson, who missed Saturday's game against the Pelicans for his 20th straight game with a hamstring strain, has appeared in just four games against the Knicks since joining the NBA six years ago.
Since Williamson was considered the top prize by the Knicks organization after losing 65 games in 2018-19, there has been a spate of illnesses.
Instead, they went third in the draft lottery and selected RJ Barrett.
Due to the number of games he has missed, the Pelicans could waive Williamson's contract after the season, sparking trade speculation around the league.
The Knicks have been potential trade candidates in the past, especially when New York had plenty of draft capital, but they are currently in no position to trade a highly productive player for an unreliable player.
Williamson also left CAA, an agency with close ties to the Knicks' front office, and is now represented by WME.
