The Milwaukee Bucks failed to close out the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday in a one-point, 115-114 loss on the road. As discouraging as the loss was to a team that Milwaukee should have beaten, the controversy erupted from a foul called on Giannis Antetokounmpo that wasn’t a foul at all. Following the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers expressed his displeasure with that incorrect whistle and the referee’s treatment of Giannis in recent games.
Bucks Coach Doc Rivers Displeased with Ghost Foul Calls
Milwaukee Bucks Coach Doc Rivers Calls Out Game Officials
The play in question involved Giannis and LaMelo Ball in the game’s final play. It appeared that Ball tripped up on himself. However, the whistle was blown, and a foul was inexplicably given to Giannis. This was the second time in consecutive games that Antetokounmpo was issued an incorrect foul. Fortunately, the Bucks prevailed in the game against the Detroit Pistons, where Giannis tallied 59 points. This time around, the foul ended the game for the Bucks in a loss. Following the game, the official NBA pool report stated the call was wrong. However, that doesn’t help the Bucks. It also doesn’t allow Rivers to sleep better tonight, who, after the game, voiced his displeasure with all things game officiating of late.
“I thought the final play was the ref blowing the call. This is back-to-back games now where on the final play, there’s been an incorrect call made. LaMelo Ball fell. He just fell down. Nobody was near him. Slipped on his own, we come up with the ball and the game’s over. So back-to-back games now we’ve had a call made against us that was incorrect.”
Rivers didn’t stop there, though, and continued to rail against the officials.
“…there was clearly not a foul. When you watch the video, the ref that called the foul was blocked out by one of our players. You can’t guess at the end of a game, guys of both teams have play way too hard, you can’t guess.”
Milwaukee Has a Gripe, but Poor Officiating Isn’t Their Looming Problem
If only the Bucks were anywhere but the bottom of the East. They should be holding onto a winning record. They should be battling it out with Cleveland and Boston for top seeding. Even in light of this recent sequence of events, it is hard to extend sympathy. Frankly, even if Milwaukee had secured a win in Charlotte, that would only improve them to 5-8 on the year. As bad as the foul call was, it wasn’t the sole reason Milwaukee dropped the game. Yes, they deserve their moments to rip the officiating. Yet, the focus has to quickly turn back to themselves and play better basketball collectively so as toavoid end-game circumstances that lose the game.
Granted, Milwaukee was coming off of two consecutive wins over the Toronto Raptors and the Pistons. However, Charlotte should have also been a win. It’s too soon to say the Bucks have re-found their footing, given that Damian Lillard is still out of the lineup, as is Khris Middleton. And what is happening with Brook Lopez? Talk about a significant decline so far this season. The best thing Doc Rivers and his team can do now is put this officiating gaff behind them and get ready to host a good Houston Rockets team on Sunday evening. That is unless there’s a third-end-of-game ghost foul called on Giannis. At the point, throw hands, Doc, by all means, throw hands
