Game Overview
After the Sacramento Kings edged out the Milwaukee Bucks with a final score of 135-133 on Saturday night at Fiserv Forum, referee Mitchell Ervin provided insights into a pivotal moment of the game when Russell Westbrook was not penalized with a flagrant foul for his physical encounter with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Referee Insights
In a Pool Report with Jim Owczarski from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Ervin stated that the officiating crew evaluated the incident under the protocol for a “player altercation” and concluded that the level of contact did not warrant a flagrant foul designation. This incident, which took place as Westbrook attempted to wrap up Antetokounmpo near the basket, was ultimately categorized as a common foul.
Ervin elaborated that the review determined there was no significant windup or follow-through by Westbrook and that the contact made was at shoulder height.
“A player altercation gave us the chance to examine everything that happened in that sequence thoroughly.”
Escalating Tensions
Additionally, tensions escalated further in the game after this incident. Later, DeMar DeRozan‘s foul on Gary Trent Jr. appeared to trigger additional conflict when Trent received a technical foul following his animated reaction to fouling. Ervin noted,
“Trent Jr. was given a tech for unsportsmanlike behavior after DeRozan’s personal foul.”
Earlier in the match, another altercation had occurred when Bobby Portis of the Bucks received a technical for pushing Domantas Sabonis, which prompted a brief confrontation between both teams.
As the game progressed, Bucks guard Cole Anthony found himself ejected from the contest mid-fourth quarter after receiving a second technical foul.
Critical Officiating Decisions
Throughout the match, the officiating crew faced several challenging moments, including a critical decision when Westbrook appeared to make contact with Antetokounmpo prior to a free throw attempt by Bucks player AJ Green. Ervin mentioned that the officials did not deem that action as a foul or violation.
Conclusion
As the Kings navigated this intense matchup, Ervin’s clarifications on the officiating decisions shed light on the game’s numerous critical moments. In the end, Sacramento managed to break a lengthy losing streak in Milwaukee and marked their second victory of the season. They are set to take on the Denver Nuggets next.
