Of course, the last NBA game before the 2017 All-Star Weekend had to have some controversy. The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics faced off on a nationally televised game on Thursday and it did not disappoint.
Down one with just a few seconds to go, the Bulls isolated Jimmy Butler on the wing, hoping he could pull out some magic for the win. Guarded by Marcus Smart, Butler made his move into a pull-up jumper. It was a miss.
But as the Celtics were preparing to celebrate a close win, it became clear that the officials had called a foul on Smart, sending Butler to the line for the game-winning free throws.
Refs say Jimmy Butler got fouled by Marcus Smart on this last season shot…
He heads to the line and sinks 2 FT’spic.twitter.com/KzoBGuWlVv
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2017
As expected, the Celtics were none too pleased about the crucial decision. Smart appeared to touch Butler’s elbow while contesting the shot. However, that minor contact tends to go unnoticed in clutch situations.
The Celtics showed their frustration on the court and later on social media:
SMH!!!!!!!!!
— Isaiah Thomas (@Isaiah_Thomas) February 17, 2017
Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler’s response:
Jimmy Butler on the final call: “A foul’s a foul. He hit my elbow. I don’t care what nobody says. I think I make it if he doesn’t alter it."
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) February 17, 2017
In the meeting of an unstoppable force and an immovable object, always choose the person with a whistle to win. Get ready for anger over the L2M report tomorrow.
