It was a night of missed opportunities and questionable calls for the Milwaukee Bucks as they fell to the Charlotte Hornets in a nail-biting 115-114 loss. The game ended in controversy, a theme seemingly persistent for the Bucks in recent days.
Controversial Call Seals the Game
In the closing moments, with the Bucks trailing by a single point, Giannis Antetokounmpo was called for a contentious foul as LaMelo Ball drove to the basket. The ruling offered Ball two free throws, both of which he converted, nudging Charlotte ahead. This left Milwaukee to attempt a last-ditch play that saw Giannis missing a crucial jumper, sealing their fate for the night.
The foul call against Antetokounmpo, along with Milwaukee's inability to contest it due to exhausted challenges, left Coach Doc Rivers visibly frustrated. "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," Rivers remarked.
Reflections on a Troubling Pattern
This loss comes on the heels of an overtime win against the Detroit Pistons. However, the NBA's Last Two Minute Report later revealed that a pivotal call in that game was indeed incorrect, raising eyebrows about the consistency of officiating in Bucks' recent matchups. Rivers pointed out another instance in the Hornets' defeat, "Go back three plays when Giannis dunked. The whole team fouled him, and it's a no-call."
Reflecting on this sequence of events, it's clear the Bucks are grappling with more than just their own execution. The free-throw disparity in the game favored the Hornets 21-11, with Antetokounmpo surprisingly awarded just one free throw throughout. Such statistics contributed heavily to Milwaukee's mounting frustration.
Seeking Equilibrium Amid Challenges
Compounding the Bucks’ woes were the absences of key players Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton. Their lack of veteran presence and scoring punch was evidently felt on the court. With a record now slipping to 4-9 and sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee is navigating choppy waters early in the season.
Postgame reflections brought some clarity but little solace. Official Curtis Blair admitted, "During live play, we called illegal leg-to-leg contact. During postgame review, when we looked at the play, there was no illegal contact on the play." Such admissions are rare, yet they do little to restore the balance in the win-loss ledger or mitigate the frustration stemming from another close loss.
As the Bucks look ahead, getting their roster back to full strength might be the first step in a return to winning ways. In the meantime, ensuring crisp execution on opportunities they can control and avoiding external factors will be crucial in enduring this early-season turbulence. The scrutiny will continue on both sides, for the Bucks to patch up their ills and for referees to make the calls that leave no room for doubt.