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Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics set an ignominious record in their loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
CNN
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There are certain statistics in sports that you would never expect, and the Boston Celtics recorded perhaps one of the most improbable milestones of all time.
When the team lost 104-91 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to hit zero free throws in a game.
Even more bizarrely, the Bucks only made two shots. This means that both teams set an NBA record for the fewest total free throws made in a game.
The Bucks also committed just four fouls in all games, the fewest in NBA history.
“Well, I'm the happiest with Adam Silver,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said of the NBA commissioner, according to ESPN. “1 hour 57 [minutes] Game time. You can still eat dinner while watching the game. can't believe it.
“I thought it was going to be a physical game, and then they handed me the stat sheet and said, 'No, you need a full game.'
“I thought it was a halftime statistic. I didn't even look at the minutes and said, 'Wow, that's two free throws in a basketball game.' That's crazy. '”
Ahead of the 2021-22 season, the NBA made a rule change that says referees should not call fouls drawn by players using “overt, sudden, or unusual non-basketball movements.”
This change was made because players like James Harden, Trae Young and Luka Doncic were able to consistently invite fouls with unusual shooting motions that were within the rules at the time.
According to ESPN, the previous lowest free throws made by a team in a game was one jointly made by the Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks, and the lowest combined total was made by the Indiana Pacers and Orlando in 2019. -It was the Magic's record of 11.
“It was weird, but it seems like it's a trend,” Bucks guard Damian Lillard said. “Fouls are no longer part of the game.
“There were times when I thought I was fouled and other times when I was surprised that no foul was called. I could have hit someone or gotten a piece of someone's arm and they Don't call it that, and I'm like, 'Oh, they're really just letting us play.'
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Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury and was helped off the court by teammates.
“Then, like the other night, I fouled out with like two minutes left in the game. I've fouled out twice or so in the last five games. How long ago did I foul out? I don't know why I didn't. You just have to react to whatever the game is going to be. I don't remember much about the whistle tonight.”
It was a big win for the Bucks, who had lost four straight and won just one of their past seven games.
But it wasn't all good news, as star man Giannis Antetokounmpo, who hit the only two free throws of the game, had to leave the court with a calf injury.
Rivers said the level of injury concern is “high.”
“He's Giannis,” Rivers added. “I think everyone is probably feeling the same way I am right now. We just hope for the best.”
