It took one minute for a ref controversy in Game 4 of NBA Finals — and it crushed the Knicks

Highly questionable from the beginning, and the referees completely lost control.

Knicks fans were irate at the officiating in Game 3, and nothing about that has changed in the first quarter of Game 4, as Knicks star center Karl-Anthony Towns was called for a foul on an opening drive from De’Aaron Fox 18 seconds into the game.

Fox drove to his strong side and threw up a layup without a hope of going in, but was able to force contact into Towns’ hips, and a bit of embellishment led to an instant whistle and a first foul on the star forward.

Karl-Anthony Towns called for his first foul. ESPN

Precisely 48 seconds later, Towns appeared to draw a foul on center Victor Wembanyama, but a review from the officials showed that Towns was hooking Wembanyama’s arm close to his body.

Both fouls were borderline at best, but it was a worthwhile challenge from the Spurs, as Wembanyama avoided a foul call early in the game, while Towns got his second foul inside of the first two minutes.

Towns immediately went to the bench, and the Knicks put in Mitchell Robinson as they went down double figures in the opening quarter.

Karl-Anthony Towns called for an offensive foul. ESPN

Luke Kornet was also not called for an obvious goaltending late in the first quarter on a Josh Hart floater.

“That’s100 percent goaltending,” color commentator Tim Legler said while laughing because it was so ridiculous. “That’s absolutely goaltending,” legendary play-by-play man, Mike Breen, responded.

With 29.6 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Wembanyama dribbled a ball out of bounds, and the ball was called out on the Knicks despite pretty clearly being off the Spurs star center.

San Antonio scored on the free possession.

With seven minutes left in the second quarter, Towns was called with another dicey foul, his third, where even color commentator Richard Jefferson said, “there’s not a whole lot there” after looking at the replay.

Knicks fans were furious, and social media was ablaze with frustration over the lack of consistency between games and teams.

Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart plead with referee Curtis Blair (L) and Marc Davis (R). Jason Szenes for the New York Post

Chants of “refs you suck” thundered throughout Madison Square Garden on multiple occasions throughout the first half.

The Knicks were down as many as 25 points in the first half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals.