Dave Portnoy was left stunned by another officiating decision involving Victor Wembanyama during Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
The night had already been full of whistle drama at Madison Square Garden, with both sides watching physical plays get judged under a microscope as the Spurs built a huge first-half lead.
This time, the debate centered on Jose Alvarado, Wembanyama, and a collision that looked more like a football play than normal playoff contact.
Dave Portnoy reacts after Jose Alvarado avoids flagrant foul on Victor Wembanyama
Dave Portnoy questioned the ruling after Jose Alvarado was not assessed a flagrant foul for his tackle-style play on Victor Wembanyama.
“Tackling a guy isn’t a flagrant? Ok,” Portnoy tweeted.
Portnoy’s reaction captured the confusion around the moment. The play was physical enough to spark immediate debate, but officials did not raise it to the flagrant level.
That ruling stood out even more because Game 4 had already featured controversy over what was and was not being treated as excessive contact.
Jose Alvarado’s tackle on Victor Wembanyama adds to Game 4 officiating debate
Alvarado’s collision with Wembanyama came in a game that was already slipping away from the Knicks, with San Antonio ahead 76-49 at halftime and controlling the flow with record three-point shooting.
The no-flagrant decision was notable because Alvarado had already warned Wembanyama after the Game 3 incident with Jalen Brunson, saying the Spurs star had gotten away with one and that it would be the last one.
That history made the Game 4 play feel less random. Wembanyama had avoided a flagrant upgrade after shoving Brunson in Game 3, while Mitchell Robinson later saw a foul on Wembanyama upgraded to a flagrant in Game 4.
Alvarado’s play gave the series another officiating flashpoint. The refs did not call it a flagrant, but Portnoy’s reaction showed why fans saw it as part of a larger pattern of confusing, inconsistent rulings around Wembanyama and the Knicks.
Read more:
