"Knicks paid the refs": NBA fans stunned after Josh Hart hits go-ahead game-winner in wild sequence vs Pistons 

On Monday, the New York Knicks narrowly escaped past the lowly Detroit Pistons to secure a 113-111 win at MSG. Josh Hart hit the game-winner with 2.8 seconds left. The Pistons were up one before Hart hit the go-ahead game-winner.

It was a wild sequence that started with Jalen Brunson missing a 3-pointer to give the Knicks a two-point lead with 19 seconds left. The Pistons managed to grab a difficult rebound behind ex-Knick Quentin Grimes' effort. Simone Fontecchio caught the ball, but it was knocked off his hands by Josh Hart, and Isaiah Hartenstein caught it.

Donte DiVincenzo had the ball next. He turned it over before taking it back from Ausar Thompson. The former may have fouled the latter in the process after seemingly diving into his legs. However, the referees didn't call it. Brunson recovered the loose ball and passed it to Hart under the rim for an easy layup, which the latter converted to hand the Knicks a win.

The wild sequence had NBA fans shocked about the result as the Pistons had an overwhelming chance of winning it, but the questionable refereeing at the end could've swung the tie in New York's favor.

"Ausar got trucked LMAOOO. Knicks paid the refs so much." one fan tweeted.

More reactions followed:

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Josh Hart's 23 points on the night prove crucial for struggling New York Knicks

Josh Hart had one of his better scoring games in Monday's home game against the Pistons. He finished with 23 points on 8 of 17 shooting, including 3 of 5 from 3, including the game-winning layup and free throw. Hart also had eight rebounds, six assists and two steals as the Knicks avoided a seventh loss in nine outings.

The shorthanded Knicks, playing without Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, have gone from 32-17 to 35-23, struggling on both ends. Jalen Brunson has been elite, but the role players haven't been able to provide much support consistently.

Josh Hart's 23 points and Donte DiVincenzo's 21 proved excellent cameos to Brunson's 34-point game against the Pistons. The former Villanova prospects interestingly combined on the last possession to save the Knicks from an embarrassing loss to the 8-49 Pistons. It would have been the Pistons' first win against the Knicks in 14 games.

New York can't afford more lethargic performances like these anymore. It has to get better, at least against the weaker opponents, with other teams catching up in the standings. The Knicks only have a two to three-game separation with the eighth-placed Orlando Magic after their recent slump.