With the Knicks narrowly leading by three points, the atmosphere grew electric as both teams battled fiercely on the court. Cunningham’s foul, his second of the night, was compounded by a hip check that drew loud applause from the crowd but ignited tempers on the hardwood. The incident caught the attention of referee Zack Zarba, who stepped in to defuse the escalating situation, underscoring the rising tension in a game that had already seen its share of chippiness.