Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Officials nearly spoil Game 4 as Bucks beat Suns, tie series

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 7/14/21

Officiating during Game 4 of the 2021 NBA Finals between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks in Wisconsin Wednesday evening was absolutely abhorrent.

To put it kindly, the zebras on hand at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee decided that they should have been the talk of the sports world rather than the stars vying for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

All of this came to a culmination in the fourth quarter with the Suns riding a narrow lead in hopes of taking a 3-1 lead against Milwaukee in the NBA Finals.

Having just recently entered the game after recording his fifth foul earlier in the fourth quarter, Devin Booker obviously fouled Bucks guard Jrue Holiday on a fast break. It was about as ridiculous of a non-call that we’ve ever seen around the Association.

We’re not kidding.

Refs swallow their whistle on this call. This would’ve been Devin Booker’s 6th foul pic.twitter.com/3DfZIaeWzv
— CrossedSports (@crossedsportsig) July 15, 2021

One has to wonder what the officials were thinking on the court. Fortunately, everything ended up working out in the Bucks’ favor.

Following an ugly turnover from Chris Paul late in the fourth quarter, Khris Middleton hit a two-pointer to give Milwaukee a 103-99 lead. Ultimately, the Bucks would come out on top to even the series at two.

In no way does that absolve the officials on hand in Milwaukee of a near miscarriage of justice in what was an absolutely huge game.

Sports world reacts to horrible officiating in Game 4 of NBA Finals

Good lord. Booker gets away with his sixth foul — a BLATANT foul — and shortly thereafter the ESPN cameras capture him telling the officials that should it have been a held ball between him and Holiday. Just be happy you’re still in the game, man. My word.
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) July 15, 2021

I rarely use this feed to criticize officials but that’s as bad a missed foul as I’ve seen in a long time given how critical these minutes are of this NBA Finals.
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) July 15, 2021