The Milwaukee Bucks suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night, leaving fans and the team questioning a critical call in the game’s final moments. Head coach Doc Rivers voiced his frustrations to the media, criticizing the officiating after the controversial last-second foul that sealed the Hornets’ victory in Game 13 of the NBA regular season.

Rivers was candid about the situation during his postgame press conference, focusing on the pivotal foul that led to the Bucks’ defeat. “This is two games in a row now where calls against us have been flat-out incorrect,” Rivers said. His frustration was evident as he recounted what he saw from the sideline.

Reflecting on the game against the Hornets, Rivers also pointed to a similar situation in their recent matchup against the Detroit Pistons. “We got lucky in Detroit because they didn’t convert the free throws, but tonight was different. They made the shots, and we lost the game on a call that clearly wasn’t a foul.”

The Bucks’ head coach highlighted a broader trend of officiating issues impacting his team in recent games. Regarding the controversial foul on Saturday, Rivers said, “When you watch the video, it’s clear the referee who made the call was blocked from seeing the play by one of our players.”

Rivers’ message to the NBA officials

Rivers did not hold back in addressing the officiating and the NBA. “You can’t guess at the end of a game like that. Both teams played too hard for the outcome to be decided this way.” He then turned the focus to Giannis Antetokounmpo, emphasizing a perceived lack of fairness in foul calls.

“The free throw disparity tonight was 21-11, and Giannis only went to the line once,” Rivers pointed out. “Go back three plays—Giannis drives, and the whole team fouled him, but nothing was called.” He elaborated on several instances where Antetokounmpo appeared to be fouled but didn’t receive the calls.

Rivers reflects on the Bucks’ performance against the Hornets

While frustrated by the officiating, Rivers also assessed his team’s effort during the game against the Hornets. “More important than what happened with Giannis is that we kept playing through everything. It came down to two teams playing hard, but that phantom foul at the end—it just can’t happen,” Rivers concluded.

Key Stats from Bucks vs. Hornets: What Went Wrong for Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Bucks’ performance against the Charlotte Hornets highlighted critical areas that contributed to their disappointing loss. Despite a commendable offensive effort, Milwaukee struggled to maximize scoring opportunities, converting 47 of 92 field goal attempts (51.1%) and hitting 15 of 36 from three-point range (41.7%). However, their free-throw shooting proved to be a significant Achilles’ heel, as they managed only 5 of 11 attempts (45.5%).

This defeat underscores the challenges the Bucks face in finding consistency in a fiercely competitive Eastern Conference. To regain their footing, Milwaukee must refine their execution in high-pressure situations, particularly from the charity stripe, to avoid similar setbacks moving forward.