Game 2 of Heat-Bucks marred by controversial ending; NBA players react to late foul calls

Jordan Greer

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Game 2 of Heat-Bucks marred by controversial ending; NBA players react to late foul calls image

Well, that was a bizarre end to Game 2, huh?

With the Bucks trailing the Heat by three points and fewer than 10 seconds remaining in regulation on Wednesday night, Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton launched a 3-point attempt from well beyond the arc and missed — but then the whistle came. Heat guard Goran Dragic was called for a foul, despite appearing to stand straight up and make little contact with Middleton on the play.

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Middleton drained all three free throws, tying things up at 114 and leaving Miami with 4.3 seconds on the clock. Oh, it gets weirder.

On the ensuing possession, Jimmy Butler's potential game-winning jumper didn't fall, but reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo lightly touched Butler on the back as he flew by. Yep, another whistle.

Butler made both of his free throws with 0.0 on the clock, giving the Heat a 116-114 victory and a 2-0 series lead.

"I'd say we're disappointed with the judgment, with the decision, the timing," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "It's a tough job. I have a lot of respect for the officials, the crew tonight. It's not an easy job. Of course, we have our way of seeing things. We're going to disagree.

"But we need to shift our attention to Game 3 and get prepared for that and understand that that's the most important thing right now."

Players around the league went crazy as Game 2 descended into chaos with those controversial calls. Here's a sampling of NBA Twitter:

Hey, at least one guy thought the officiating crew handled the ending correctly. Wait — Draymond Green?!

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer Photo

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.