Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a call during the second half of a basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on November 16, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. David Jensen/Getty Images/AFP
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Giannis Antetokounmpo shouldn’t have been called for a foul against LaMelo Ball on Saturday, referees determined, agreeing with Bucks coach Doc Rivers’ criticism of the play that gave the Charlotte Hornets the eventual winning points in a 115-114 victory over Milwaukee.
With the Hornets trailing by one, Ball drove the right side of the lane and appeared to slip and fall. Replays didn’t appear to show any contact, but Antetokounmpo was whistled for the foul with 7.3 seconds left. Ball made both free throws to give Charlotte the lead.
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“I thought the final play was the ref blowing a call,” Rivers said. “This is back-to-back games now where on the final play there has been an incorrect call made.”
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The Bucks did not have a challenge left. If they had, the call would have been overturned on replay, crew chief Curtis Blair said afterward.
“During live play we called illegal leg-to-leg contact,” Blair said. “During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play.”
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Antetokounmpo’s jumper at the buzzer rimmed out and the Hornets escaped with the win.
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A similar scenario occurred earlier this week against the Detroit Pistons when Antetokounmpo was whistled for a phantom call with a second left in regulation and the score tied at 111.
But in that game, Pistons forward Ron Holland II missed two free throws and the game went into overtime and the Bucks prevailed 127-120 behind 59 points from Antetokounmpo.
“LaMelo Ball fell,” Rivers said. “He just fell down. Nobody was near him. He slipped on his own. We come up with the ball and the game is over. So back-to-back games now we have had a call made against us that is incorrect. We were lucky in Detroit the kid missed two free throws. Tonight LaMelo Ball made the free throws.”
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