Marcus Smart, Celtics upset over foul call late in Game 3
Aug 4, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) warms up before the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Visa Athletic Center in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Marcus Smart and the Boston Celtics lost a close game to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, and one play seemed to bother them more than others after the loss.
Smart was fouled with just under five seconds remaining and his Celtics down 103-100 to the Bucks. The officials said it was a non-shooting foul, which gave Smart two free throws rather than three. Because he only had two free throws, Smart missed the second one intentionally to give his team a chance at a tie (they nearly tied it too).
Here is the play:
NBA officials ruled this a 'sweeping' move and not a shooting motion by Marcus Smart.
Should this have been 3 free throws for Smart? 🤔pic.twitter.com/4yJwwpkzvU
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 7, 2022
The officials undoubtedly got the call right. You have to be a desperate Celtics player or fan to think a shooting foul should have been called in that situation. Milwaukee fouled Smart well before he even tried to shoot the ball.
The Celtics are desperate, so it’s no surprise both Smart and Celtics coach Ime Udoka thought the officials made a bad call.
Marcus Smart on the late foul: "I was already in my shooting motion, I thought it should of been three (free throws)." pic.twitter.com/IZOO0OusRn
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 7, 2022
Ime Udoka said the refs told him Marcus Smart was making a sweeping motion on the final shot foul: "You cant say that’s a sweep, he’s going into the shot. Poor call."
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) May 7, 2022
The Celtics are really reaching if they think that was a bad call.