Last 2 minute report: 4 incorrect calls in Suns-Bucks Game 4 of Finals
Jul 15, 2021, 2:19 PM | Updated: 6:32 pm
Milwaukee Bucks' Jrue Holiday (21) shoots between Phoenix Suns' Jae Crowder (99) and Mikal Bridges (25) as Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) watches during Game 4 of basketball's NBA Finals, Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Milwaukee. (Jonathan Daniel/Pool Photo via AP)
(Jonathan Daniel/Pool Photo via AP)
It didn’t take until the final two minutes of a Milwaukee Bucks win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals for a game-changing call by the officials.
The play of mightiest significance came with 3:38 left in the game, when Jrue Holiday went in for a fastbreak layup with Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker fouling him with both hands. No whistle blew, and it was significant at the time because Booker was one foul away from being sent to the bench.
“During live play, I saw a clean sweep of the ball and thought it was a no call,” said referee James Capers to a pool reporter after Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday.
“However, after seeing the replay, I now realize that I missed Booker’s right arm around the waist of Holiday, and it should have been a defensive foul on the play.”
That didn’t change the results. Milwaukee won, 109-103, and Booker didn’t score in the final two minutes.
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Four more calls were either not whistled or missed during that final stretch, according to the NBA’s last two minute report.
1:34 left, 99-99 — Milwaukee wing Khris Middleton “extends his arms into Phoenix’s Mikal Bridges and dislodges him from his position off-ball.” It was not called, and Middleton hit a 19-foot jumper to go ahead for good seconds later.
54 seconds left, 101-99 Bucks lead — Suns guard Chris Paul clamps Holiday’s right arm, “affecting his ability to bring two hands to the ball during the rebound.” The play also went uncalled, and Holiday grabbed an offensive board anyway, leading to a missed jumper by the Bucks.
15 seconds left, 105-101 Bucks lead — After Booker hit a layup, Giannis Antetokounmpo “releases his inbounds pass while he still has a foot on the court.” Play incorrectly continued.
14 seconds left, 105-101 Bucks lead — On the inbounds pass by Antetokounmpo, a trap by Paul and Cam Johnson was quickly whistled as a foul, but contact was “marginal and a foul call was not warranted.” Middleton made two free throws after a foul called on Johnson.
