BOSTON – We’re getting to that point where every call and non-call on the floor is magnified in this Boston-Milwaukee series because of what’s at stake.
That’s in part why the Bucks were livid about what they believe was a late-game non-call that factored heavily in their 92-87 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their best-of-seven series with Boston up 3-2 with a chance to close out the series in Milwaukee on Thursday.
Boston had possession of the ball leading 84-79 with about 90 seconds to play.
The Bucks, frantically trying to get a defensive stop and the ball back in order to try and make it a one-possession game, kept the Celtics from getting any clean looks.
And the result of that was a hurried 3-point shot by Al Horford that appeared to have been released after the shot clock expired and thus should have been a 24-second violation.
However, there was no call made and the missed shot was tipped out by Semi Ojeleye to Terry Rozier who was fouled.
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Bucks interim head coach Joe Prunty said he was given an explanation for the play, but said, “not a good enough one. I was asking for a shot clock violation. I didn’t think he got the ball off, so I said, ‘that’s a shot clock violation.’ That was my discussion.”
Associated Press reporter Kyle Hightower was a pool reporter and asked the lead official Ken Mauer why Horford’s shot was not reviewed.
“The rule states that under two minutes we are not allowed to review a potential 24-second violation unless the ball goes in the basket,” Mauer said.