Celtics, Bucks made history in their game for crazy reason
Feb 6, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers looks on during the third quarter of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks made history in their game on Tuesday night, and the record they somehow set may never be broken.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only player to get to the free-throw line during Milwaukee’s 104-91 win over the Celtics at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. The two-time NBA MVP was fouled with 19 seconds remaining in the first quarter and made 1-of-2 free throws. That was the last time a player would get to the line the entire night.
That’s right, there were only two free threes combined in the game. That is a record-low number for an NBA game. The previous low was 11 in a 2019 game between the Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers.
The Boston Celtics also became the first team in NBA history not to attempt a free throw in a game.
With so few fouls being called, Tuesday night’s game took less than two hours from start to finish. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers joked that NBA commissioner Adam Silver must have been thrilled.
“Man, (NBA Commissioner) Adam Silver’s the happiest,” Rivers said, via The Associated Press. “1:57 game time. My goodness, you can go to a game and still have dinner. Unbelievable.
“I thought it was a physical game, and then they handed me the stat sheet, and I told them, ‘No, I need the full game.’ I thought it was the halftime stats. I didn’t look at the minutes. And then I said, ‘Wow, two free throws for a basketball game. That’s crazy.'”
The biggest story of the night was Antetokounmpo suffering a non-contact calf injury late in the third quarter, so that may have contributed to the absurdly low free-throw total flying under the radar. Fortunately, Giannis has since received positive news about the injury.
There are a number of records in sports that are viewed as being untouchable, and two free throws in an entire NBA game could now be one of them.