“I said average crew. Average my f*** foot. Quiet whistle, 44 fouls, and Towns still dropped 19 on five fouls, so I'm the one who got called out tonight.”
MONTY, THE MORNING AFTER
HOW THE WHISTLE WENT
Wed, Oct 28, 2026 · Final
NYK @ CHI New York at Chicago
THE CREWMark Lindsaychief·Marc Davis·Mousa Dagher
NYK 133CHI 127
WHISTLE VOLUME
40.2
fouls per 100 possessions · −4.7 vs average
5,436th busiest of 13,650 games since 2015
OUR CREW READ
Missed
Read as average before tip-off; it came in −4.7 fouls per 100 vs average.
We print the misses as loud as the hits.
Fouls by quarter
NYK CHI
Expected vs actual
| Fouls / 100 | Free throws / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| NYK | 20.9 → 20.8 | 22.4 → 18.1 |
| CHI | 20.5 → 19.4 | 23.9 → 27.7 |
Expected before tip-off → what happened. Free throws: NYK 20, CHI 30.
Foul-trouble watch: Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK)
5 fouls · 19 pts · 28 min
Key whistles
- Q2 7:53 Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK), personal foul: 3rd foul before half
- Q3 9:03 Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK), shooting foul: 4th foul in Q3
- Q4 3:35 Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK), shooting foul: 5th foul
Picked by rule (foul trouble, close finish), not graded right or wrong.
BEFORE TIP-OFF
CREW READ
PENDING
The league posts referee assignments about 9 a.m. ET on game day. The crew read lands here as soon as it does.
The free-throw battle
how busy each end should be
CHI should get to the line more: about 1.1 extra free throws.
When NYK have the ballLeans quiet
quietleague middlebusy
NYK draw fouls: 9th most; get to the line: 7th fewest. CHI commit fouls: 7th fewest; give up free throws: mid-pack. Expected free throws for NYK: 24.8.
When CHI have the ballMiddle of the road
quietleague middlebusy
CHI draw fouls: 5th fewest; get to the line: mid-pack. NYK commit fouls: 9th most; give up free throws: mid-pack. Expected free throws for CHI: 25.9.
League ranks this season, out of 30.
Where they stand
NYK CHI
Overall
When they defend
When they attack
League rank out of 30 this season, 1st = best for the team: most points scored, fewest allowed, fewest fouls and free throws given up, most fouls drawn and trips to the line. The right-hand number is how many places the leader is ahead.
What to expect
vs league avg
NYK
24.8
free throws
CHI
25.9
free throws
Who’s out
NYK
Nobody listed
CHI
Nobody listed
The lines
DraftKings · open → close
| Total | 234.5 → 233.5▼ 1 |
|---|---|
| Spread | CHI +7.5 → +7.5 |
| Moneyline | NYK -258 → -278 · CHI +210 → +225 |
For information only. Prices move; check your book. 19+ (21+ in most of the US).
The crew read in detail: fouls, free throws and points vs the line
Fouls−0.1 per 100 poss not clear
Personal fouls by both teams per 100 possessions, against the league average, after allowing for the two teams.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.8 and +0.5 per 100 poss.
n = 194 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Free throws−0.1 per 100 poss not clear
Free-throw attempts by both teams per 100 possessions, against the league average.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −1.0 and +0.8 per 100 poss.
n = 194 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
Points vs the line+0.1 points not clear
Final points minus the closing total in this crew's games. Near zero means the market already prices the crew.
Not clearly different from average: 80% likely between −0.8 and +0.9 points.
n = 194 games (fewest on the crew). Each dot is one in twenty likely outcomes.
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Counts and rates, not verdicts. How we grade