The Milwaukee Bucks suffered a heartbreaking 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, with the game’s outcome marred by a controversial foul called on Giannis Antetokounmpo in the closing seconds. Damian Lillard, playing in just his second game back after clearing concussion protocols, didn’t hold back his frustrations with the officiating, taking to social media to express his anger.
“Bulls**t call for game.”
The foul in question occurred with seven seconds remaining as Ball drove to the basket. Referee Curtis Blair called Giannis for illegal leg-to-leg contact, effectively halting the Bucks’ defensive stand and handing the Hornets the opportunity to secure the win.
However, during a postgame review, Blair admitted the call was incorrect. While the admission acknowledged the mistake, it did nothing to change the Bucks’ record or alleviate the frustration of the players and fans.
This was called a foul on Giannis, you can’t make this up pic.twitter.com/sPFprvzMvQ
— BucksShowYo🦌 (@BucksShowYo) November 16, 2024
Lillard, who has been vocal in the past about poor officiating, shared a transcript of Blair’s postgame comments on Instagram, captioning it:
“How does this help when the game has been lost?”
His reaction resonated with Bucks supporters, who were equally disheartened by the error, especially as it marked the second controversial call against their team in recent games. In a prior matchup against the Detroit Pistons, Antetokounmpo was involved in another questionable foul call during a critical moment, though that instance ended with a rare stroke of fortune as the opposing player missed both free throws.
Despite Lillard’s justified frustration, Giannis struck a more optimistic tone postgame. The two-time MVP, visibly animated on the court after the call, chose to focus on the bigger picture when speaking to reporters.
Statistically, the Bucks performed well overall, shooting 47 of 92 from the field and making 15 three-pointers. However, their struggles at the free-throw line—converting just 5 of 11 attempts—proved costly. The team’s inability to capitalize on these opportunities compounded the pain of the erroneous foul call that sealed their fate. Meanwhile, Ball led the Hornets with clutch free throws and a standout performance, further frustrating a Milwaukee squad eager to climb back into playoff contention.
The loss dropped the Bucks to a 4-9 record, leaving them in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. With Damian Lillard averaging 26 points before his concussion and now back on the court, Milwaukee hopes his leadership can spark a turnaround. The Bucks face the Houston Rockets Fiserv Forum at 8:00 PM EST in their next game, aiming to bounce back and find consistency.
However, for Lillard and the Bucks, the sting of Saturday night’s officiating blunder will likely linger as they push forward in an already challenging season.
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