NBA fines Bucks' Doc Rivers $25,000 for officiating comments
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is literally going to pay the consequences for his postgame outburst on Saturday following a loss to the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte. The NBA has announced on Sunday a $25,000 fine on Rivers for his comments following the Charlotte game.
The announcement was made via NBA Communications' X (formerly Twitter) account:
"Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of the officiating, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. Rivers' comments took place during the post-game press conference following the team's 115- 114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 16 at Spectrum Center."
It can be recalled that Rivers put the referees on blast for what he called a "phantom foul" called on two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo while Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball was trying to attack the basket late in the contest. Video replays of the said play showed Antetokounmpo not making any contact with Ball, who apparently merely tripped over his own feet.
It was a crucial call on Antetokounmpo and the Bucks , to say the least. Milwaukee took a one-point lead following a Patt Connaughton layup with 19 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter.
Charlotte then called a timeout when with 7.1 seconds remaining in regulation, Antetokounmpo was slapped with a foul on Ball, giving the latter the chance not just to tie the game at the free throw line but take the lead. That was what Ball did, as he drained both free throws to get the lead back to the Hornets, who held on to that advantage the rest of the way, with Antetokounmpo missing an 18-foot attempt in the game's final shot attempt.
Bucks searching for momentum again
Had Antetokounmpo not been hit with a foul on Ball, the Bucks probably would have by now a three-game win streak. Momentum and consistency have been hard to come by in the 2024-25 NBA season so far for the Bucks, and they will look to get into rhythm again following the loss to the Hornets.
Milwaukee, at 4-9, will aim to get back on track this coming Monday when they start a four-game home stand at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee versus the Houston Rockets.
