NBA playoffs: Jalen Brunson jams finger in Tim Hardaway Jr.'s eye, drawing flagrant foul and wrath of Pistons fans
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson drew a flagrant foul and the wrath of Detroit Pistons fans for an eye poke Thursday night that did not resemble a basketball play.
The incident took place in the first quarter of Game 3 of the first-round playoff series, which shifted to Detroit after the teams split Games 1 and 2 in New York. The Knicks went on to win the game, 118-116.
With 6:20 remaining in the quarter and the Knicks holding a 20-11 lead, Tim Hardaway Jr. pulled up for a 3-pointer from the left wing. Brunson closed in on defense and fouled Hardaway during his shooting motion.
Hardaway fell to the court and clutched his face in pain. Officials called a personal foul on the floor and reviewed it for a potential flagrant foul.
It was ruled a flagrant foul. Brunson jammed the fingers of his right hand toward Hardaway's face and poked him in the left eye during Hardaway's shot.
Flagrant Foul on Jalen Brunson. pic.twitter.com/o2AB30Se5z
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 24, 2025
Detroit fans serenaded Brunson with a chant of "F*** you, Brunson!" as officials watched replay video at mid-court. Hardaway, meanwhile, recovered from the eye poke while sitting on the Pistons bench.
Officials upgraded the foul to a flagrant 1 on Brunson for "unnecessary contact above the shoulder level to the shooter with a followthrough to the eye of the shooter." Referee Zach Zarba described Brunson's motion as "not making a natural play on the basketball."
Hardaway was awarded three free throws. He hit them all, and the Pistons retained possession. Hardaway then hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession for a quick, personal 6-0 run to cut New York's lead to 20-17.
But New York withstood the run and finished the first quarter with a 33-27 lead. The Knicks carried a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter before holding off a late Pistons run to secure the win. Brunson finished with 30 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Hardaway tallied 24 points while shooting 7 of 12 from 3-point distance.
Playoff series are heating up and spilling over with bad blood across the league. Knicks-Pistons is no exception.
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