Nate Robinson scored 19 points while David Lee netted 14 adding 12 rebounds as the Knicks toppled Israel-based Maccabi Tel Aviv in their second meet in three years. However, It was the Maccabi head coach, Pini Gershon, who was the center of attention in this exhibition contest for charity.
In verbally contesting two fouls (the second of which Maccabi were actually the beneficiaries of), Gershon was slapped with back-to-back technicals and a prompt ejection. The Maccabi head coach stood his ground for several minutes, furthermore, only agreeing to leave after a lengthy public discussion with referees, his assistants, and security personnel. One of those who offered his wisdom was Rabbi Yitchak Dovid Grossman.
Rabbi Grossman, who was overseeing groups of children involved in the Migdal Duvid Foundation said:
“I explained that this is not a regular game and the kids are watching and (it’s) important that there will be peace and forgive him... If you forgive him, I can speak to the children and say, ‘You also forgive. If you have a fight, you forgive.’ But he says this is the law, that you must obey.”
“I’ve never experienced that before, but I mean there’s a first time for everything I guess,” added Nate Robinson, who had walked over to the Maccabi bench at one point to investigate.
During the MSG broadcast, Al Trautwig also reported that outcast Pini Gershon's outrage was elevated in the locker room upon learning that the reffs making the call were not NBA league officials, but replacement officials hired as a result of the NBA Referees Lockout.
Personally, I do not think that the referees should have made this call, or enforced it as they had done. Seeing as how this is an exhibition game against an international guest coupled with the fact that it is for a charitable cause, I believe the replacement officials making and enforcing the ejection call were out of line and disrespectful to the event. As a Knicks fan, one sort of grows to appreciate these extraordinary games on a different level, especially considering we do not have any playoff or championship experiences in recent memory.
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