Sixers don’t file formal protest over Game 2

PHILADELPHIA — The Sixers aired their grievances but did nothing else about it. Despite their list of issues surrounding the Game 2 loss — mostly with the refereeing — Philly let the deadline pass without filing a formal protest, multiple sources confirmed. In the regular season, they would’ve had 48 hours after the game. In the playoffs, a protest “must be filed not later than midnight of the day of the game protested,” according to the NBA’s guidelines. The Sixers didn’t attempt a formal protest. The Sixers were upset with multiple non-calls toward the end of the Game 2 defeat, including the referees swallowing their whistles when Tyrese Maxey was fouled off an inbounds down the stretch. The NBA acknowledged some of the calls were wrong but there was never a chance the result would be reversed or the game replayed.

According to Philly writers, the Sixers list of problems included:

* Two calls in the last twominute report from Game 1 went against the Sixers.

* The fact that the Sixers have been the most disadvantaged team in the NBA this season based on last twominute reports.

* The Knicks included detailed referee information in their game notes for the first two games of the series.

* The Sixers believe they should have been awarded a timeout at multiple points during a key inbounds play and possession late in Monday’s loss.

The Knicks, who filed an unsuccessful formal protest of a regular season game in

February, continued to release their “pregame referee breakdown” ahead of Thursday’s Game 3.

Jalen Brunson finished fifth in voting for the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award, losing to the winner, Steph Curry, and finishing below Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.

Brunson also finished fifth in the Most Improved Player vote and could get fifth in MVP, although that has yet to be announced. The Knicks will be shut out of the individual awards, but Brunson is expected to make his first appearance on an All-NBA squad.

Clutch Player of the Year was introduced last year and won by Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox, while Brunson finished third.