Embattled NBA referee reveals why Jarrett Allen trip wasn't called a foul

TL;DR

NBA referee Tony Brothers explained why he did not call a foul on Jarrett Allen for tripping Ausar Thompson during Game 5, citing incidental contact while both players were contesting the ball.

Key points

Tony Brothers is a long-time NBA referee.
He faced criticism from Timberwolves coach Chris Finch.
The incident occurred during Game 5 of the playoffs.
Jarrett Allen tripped Ausar Thompson without a foul being called.
Brothers cited incidental contact as the reason for no foul.

Mentioned in this story

Tony BrothersChris FinchJarrett AllenAusar Thompson

Minnesota TimberwolvesDetroit PistonsCleveland Cavaliers

The spotlight has been on long time NBA referee Tony Brothers in the 2026 NBA playoffs... and not for the right reasons.

Earlier in the postseason, he confronted Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, who called Brothers out for "completely unprofessional behavior." And on Wednesday night, he was right there to blow the whistle at the end of regulation in Game 5 of the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers game when Jarrett Allen tripped up Ausar Thompson.

But he didn't call it a foul. And per the pool report with Detroit News' Coty Davis, he explained why:

"During live play, both players were going for the ball and there was incidental contact with the legs with no player having possession of the ball."

He stuck to his take that it was "incidental contact" and that "the play will be reviewed by the league office tomorrow."

Me? I'm no NBA ref but that looked like a foul to me, incidental or not.

Piston coach J.B. Bickerstaff absolutely thought it was a foul

"He fouled Ausar. It's clear. He trips him when he's going for a loose ball."

Apparently not to Brothers. We'll see if the league agrees, even though it's moot at this point.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NBA referee on why Jarrett Allen trip on Ausar Thompson wasn't foul

Q&A

Why did NBA referee Tony Brothers not call a foul on Jarrett Allen?

Tony Brothers stated that there was incidental contact between the players while both were going for the ball, with no player in possession.

What incident involving Tony Brothers and Chris Finch occurred during the playoffs?

Chris Finch, the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, criticized Tony Brothers for 'completely unprofessional behavior' earlier in the postseason.

What was the outcome of the Game 5 between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers?

The game featured a controversial moment when Jarrett Allen tripped Ausar Thompson, but no foul was called, impacting the game's outcome.