TNT graphic accidentally declared Knicks 4-1 series winner

Maybe TNT just used the wrong graphic Tuesday night. Or maybe, the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons didn’t stick to the script.

Cue the conspiracy theorists. Because as soon as the buzzer sounded on Game 4 of the NBA playoff series between the Knicks and Pistons, TNT changed their scorebug from reading “NYK Leads 3-1” to “NYK Wins 4-1.”

The problem, however, is the fact that the Pistons beat New York 106-103, forcing a Game 5 in Detroit Thursday night. TNT kept the graphic up for about five seconds before swapping “NYK Wins 4-1” out for “Game 5.”

Pistons fans already think the league is out to get them after Game 3 ended in a controversial no-call despite New York’s Josh Hart seemingly fouling Detroit’s Tim Hardaway Jr. on his game-winning shot attempt. A foul call on Hart would have sent Hardaway to the free throw line with a chance to win the game. Instead, the referee holding onto his whistle won it for New York.

Now Pistons fans have reason to believe even TNT is rooting for the Knicks to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs after seeing the “NYK Wins 4-1” graphic.

Realistically, this was just a mistake. Someone pressed the wrong button. The bigger question is why did they even have the “NYK Wins 4-1” queued up? Because as much as the Knicks kept it close in the final seconds, it never seemed like they were on the verge of winning this game to close the series out in five.