By Adam Roberts – 4/20/2021
With 23 seconds to go in overtime, Khris Middleton pulled up from the top of the key and drained a three over Suns superstar Devin Booker. For a brief moment, the Bucks had regained the momentum in a game that wouldn’t have even been in the extra frame if they don’t blow a seven point lead with four minutes left in the fourth quarter.
But the Buck social media was buzzing about afterwards wasn’t Khris Middleton. No, it was P.J. Tucker, and not for anything good or bad he did, but rather what he “apparently” did.
On the final possession of the night, Booker threw up one last shot over Tucker after shaking off Jrue Holiday. As Tucker rolled in to assist on defense, he came dangerously close to hurling himself into the shooting Booker, but appeared to pull away and allow the shot to get off at the last second. But not in the eyes of referees, who determined Tucker made it contact with Booker as the clock read 0.3 seconds. Devin would hit the first free throw and give the Suns the 128-127 road win.
I’ve gone over the shot a number of times this morning, and while keeping an objective mindset I still can’t see how this call was made. Tucker appears to pull away, and while the Suns television crew seemed to think Holiday slapped at Bookers hand and on first glance this may have been possible, Holiday’s hand comes up short of Booker’s arm as he dove forward.
The loss is Milwaukee’s second straight, and they’ll have to put this one out of their minds pretty quick with the East-leading 76ers coming to town Thursday.