Controversial Foul Call Snatches Victory from Mavericks in Nail-Biting Knicks Showdown

Brandon Williams was just inches away from sending Wednesday night’s game into overtime – a heart-stopping moment where the Dallas Mavericks seemed to snatch a lifeline right off the buzzer. Racing down the floor, Williams deftly skirted past Landry Shamet of the Knicks and put in a wild layup with only 0.7 seconds left ticking away at the American Airlines Center. That bucket would have tied the game, setting the stage for extra time and a chance for Dallas to rewrite the story. But then, the buzzer-beating euphoria turned into disbelief. A controversial offensive foul wiped out his effort, handing the Knicks a narrow 113-111 victory instead. You could almost feel the shock ripple through the Mavericks’ bench and fans alike — the kind of call that leaves everyone talking long after the final horn. It’s a game-defining moment wrapped in frustration, a snapshot of how heartbreak and triumph can dangle on the same thread in the NBA. LEARN MORE

Brandon Williams thought he had forced overtime on Wednesday night. But a late, questionable offensive foul call said otherwise.

The Mavericks guard drove all the way down the court and somehow managed to get around Knicks guard Landry Shamet and sink a wild layup at the American Airlines Center with 0.7 seconds remaining on the clock. That would have put the Dallas Mavericks in line with the New York Knicks, and likely forced overtime.

But Williams, despite seemingly making it around Shamet cleanly, was called for an offensive foul. That negated his layup, and ended up giving the Knicks the 113-111 win. Williams and the Mavericks were completely stunned.

The Knicks had several chances to put the Mavericks away in the fourth quarter, but they struggled repeatedly at the free throw line. They made just one of six free throws in the final 22 seconds of the game, and P.J. Washington then hit a pair of free throws with about six seconds left to get the Mavericks back within a single point. Jalen Brunson split his free throws after that following a quick foul, which put New York up by two points and allowed Dallas the opportunity to tie the game up with a layup rather than a 3-pointer.

“Great execution, great catch, great pass by [Dereck Lively],” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said after the game. “And then for him to catch it and for him to find B-Will on the run was great execution, tough call.”

Jason Kidd on the Mavericks’ attempt to tie the game that ended with a Brandon Williams offensive foul:

“Great execution, great catch, great pass by D-Live…And then for him to catch it and for him to find B-Will on the run was great execution, tough call. He a good look, called… pic.twitter.com/7toRQWcndv

— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) November 20, 2025

Brunson led the Knicks with 28 points in his return from an ankle injury, which kept him out for a week. He shot 11-of-23 from the field and had five assists on the night. Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Josh Hart added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

The Knicks improved to 9-5 on the year with the win, which was their second in their last three games. They’ll take on the Orlando Magic Saturday in the second of a five-game road trip.

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D’Angelo Russell had 23 points and seven assists to lead the Mavericks, who were playing without Cooper Flagg for the first time since they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft this past summer. Flagg was ruled out for Wednesday’s game due to an illness. Naji Marshall added 23 points off the bench for Dallas. Williams had nine points and shot just 2-11 from the field.

The Mavericks fell to 4-12 on the season with the loss, which marked their fifth over a six-game span. Four of those five losses have been by single digits. They’ll host the New Orleans Pelicans next on Friday.