Referees Admit to Blowing Call That Effectively Cost Bucks Win Over Hornets

Veteran official Curtis Blair admitted his crew got the call wrong.

The Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo argues a call during Milwaukee's 115–114 loss to the Hornets on Nov. 16, 2024. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

With time running out in the Milwaukee Bucks' game against the Charlotte Hornets Saturday, Hornets guard LaMelo Ball drove toward the Bucks' basket. He appeared to trip and fall, which would have handed possession back to a Milwaukee team clinging to a 114–113 lead.

Not so fast. The officiating crew called a foul on Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Ball hit both free throws to give the Hornets a lead they would not relinquish.

The call sent Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers into a frenzy and led to a postgame mea culpa from crew chief Curtis Blair.

"During live play we called illegal leg-to-leg contact. During postgame review when we looked at the play there was no illegal contact on the play," Blair told Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer in the postgame pool report.

Rivers said as much in his postgame press conference, and Blair's admission is likely to be cold comfort for the coach of a scuffling 4-9 team.

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