Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was fined US$15,000 by the National Basketball Association (NBA) yesterday (August 1) for claiming referees changed a call Friday to keep Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo from fouling out.
Antetokounmpo seemingly picked up a sixth foul after he was called for charging when he crashed into Smart with 1:28 left in the game. Referees later changed the call to a blocking foul after video replay, and Antetokounmpo converted a tie-breaking three-point play that helped Milwaukee pull out a 119-112 victory.
Afterwards, Smart dismissed the explanation that officials changed the call because he was too late. “Quite frankly, I think we know all what that was all about. Giannis’ sixth foul and they didn’t want to get him out,” Smart said. “Let’s just call that spade a spade and that’s just what it is.”
