One bad call changed the game.
The Milwaukee Bucks lost 114-115 to the Charlotte Hornets in the 2024-2025 NBA regular season on Sunday (Feb. 17) at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
The game was decided by one point. Charlotte, led by LaMelo Ball’s game-winning free throws, 스포츠토토사이트 took Milwaukee to the wire.
However, the foul that led to Ball’s game-winning free throw is not without controversy. Down by one point and with the game on the line, Ball took a crossover dribble and fell to the ground while trying to break through against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The referee’s whistle blew for a foul, but replays showed that he fell without contact with a defender. It was a clear error.
Antetokounmpo, who had been fouled on a normal defense, was in disbelief and argued with the referee, but there was no way to change the call. Milwaukee had no chance to challenge the call. “They (Milwaukee) have no challenge left,” the Charlotte-area broadcaster said after checking the replay.
Ball made two free throws after being fouled by Antetokounmpo, and on Milwaukee’s ensuing possession, Antetokounmpo’s jumper clanged off the rim to seal the win for Charlotte.
Curtis Blair, who officiated the game, acknowledged the error in his postgame pool report. “Antetokounmpo was called for an illegal contact foul, and when we reviewed it after the game, there was no illegal contact,” he said, adding, ”If there had been a challenge on Milwaukee, the call would have been different.”
Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers was furious after being the victim of a bad call. The Bucks had already been victimized by a questionable call in the previous game against Detroit.
With the game tied at the end of the fourth quarter in Detroit, Milwaukee was awarded free throws after Ron Holland was fouled by Adetokunbo, a call that was later ruled a blown call according to the two-minute replay. Holland missed both free throws to force overtime, which Milwaukee won, but the call could have changed the outcome had he made either.
“There was a bad call on the last play,” Doc Rivers said after the Charlotte game, ”The lamello ball went down and nobody was anywhere near it. He slipped on his own. That’s two games in a row where we’ve had bad calls. In Detroit, Ron Holland was lucky to miss two free throws, but today Ball made both of his free throws.”
Rivers’ anger was not easily relieved. Milwaukee’s ace Antetokounmpo is one of the most physical players in the entire league. He was frustrated with the lack of fouls called on Antetokounmpo that night.
“Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo playing, we were 11-21 from the free throw line and he only made one free throw, and when he dunked, the whole team was fouling him and it wasn’t called. Antetokounmpo is a powerful player and when he goes to attack the rim, he gets hit in the arm, gets hit in the face and keeps moving forward, so he doesn’t get called for the contact he makes.”
After a disappointing start to the season, the powerhouse Milwaukee is sitting at the bottom of the standings with a dismal 4-9 record. They were looking for back-to-back wins in the absence of Damian Lillard, who suffered a concussion, but the victory was blown out of the water by a blown call.